REASONS 


FOR   BUILDING 


THE  CENTRAL  RAIL  ROAD: 


\v  i  t  it    t  n  i ■:   c  h  a  u  t  e  k 


BESPE<   i  FULLY     \BDRE*SED 


fO  TH)< 


WORKIXU  PEOPLE  OF  NORTH  CAROLWJ, 


BY    ONE    OF    THEM 


fayetteyjlle: 
PRINTED  BY  EDWARD  J.   HALE  &  SON 

1  8  5  ft . 


Ml 


Cfje  library 

of  tfje 

Unitoersttp  of  Jlortf)  Carolina 


Cp38 


{Efje  Cameron  Collection 

3fn  iHcmorp  of 

pennefjan  Cameron 

September  9. 1854 - Suite  1, 1925 

trustee  of  rjje  ©mberjsttp  of  iSortf)  Carolina 
1891=1925 

5.1 


mm 


UNIVERSITY  OF  N.C.  AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


00042093750 


N87rl 


FOR  USE  ONLY  IN 
THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  COLLECTION 

THIS  TITLE  HAS  BEEN  MICROFILMED 


■■-Ton 


REASONS 


FOR  BUILDING 


THE  CENTRAL  RAIL  ROAD; 


WITH     THE     C  H  A  R  T  E  R , 


RESPECTFULLY    ADDRESSED 


TO  THE 


WORKING  PEOPLE  OF  NORTH  &R0L1&1. 


BY    ONE    OF    THEM 


FAYETTEVILLE  : 
PRINTED  BY  EDWARD  J.  HALE  &  SON. 

1856. 


2Iote. — It  was  designed  to  have  a  Map  of  the  roads  built  and  building 
itt  N.  C,  and  of  the  Coal  Fields,  but  it  could  not  be  got  ready  in  time  for 
this  publication.  AUTHOR. 


HE  .A.  SO  ISPS. 


Friends  of  the  Central  Rail  Road: 

It  will  be  seen  by  the  advertisement  of  the  Com- 
missioners named  in  the  Charter,  that  books  of  subscription  to  the 
Capital  Stock  of  the  Company  were  opened  on  the  tenth  day  of  April 
1856,  and  will  remain  open  until  further  notice. 

The  Charter  granted  by  the  last  Legislature,  for  building  the  Cen- 
tral Eail  Road,  is  liberal  in  its  provisions.  It  does  not  give  State 
aid,  but  it  does  give  all  the  rights  and  privileges  its  friends  could 
suggest,  perpetually,  to  aid  in  buildiQg  the  road,  and  to  make  it  a 
paying  road  after  it  is  built. 

We  wish  briefly  to  call  attention  to  the  advantages  this  Charter 
gives,  and  to  present  the  claims  of  the  road  to  public  consideration 
in  their  true  light.  The  people  in  sections  of  country  through  which 
it  will  pass,  should  consider  all  the  benefits  it  will  confer  upon  them; 
and  capitalists  should  see  the  facts  and  figures  based  upon  the  dis- 
tinctive features  of  the  road,  and  see  for  themselves  that  a  rare 
chance  is  now  offered  for  a  profitable  investment  of  their  money, — 
the  best  investment,  in  the  opinion  of  the  writer,  they  could  make, 
for  certain  and  large  profits.  He  could  wish  that  the  matter  were 
in  a  more  able  hand,  he  cannot  do  justice  to  the  subject;  but  he  is  a 
Carolinian,  a  friend  of  the  road,  true  and  unfaltering,  and  in  his  ear- 
nest desire  to  assist  in  building  it  he  yields  to  none. 

Some  of  the  wisest  and  best  men  North  Carolina  has  produced 
within  ihe  last  thirty  years  have  called  attention  to  a  central  line  of 
Railway,  from  Beaufort  Harbor,  through  Fayetteville,  Salisbury, 
and  West,  across  the  Mountains,  into  Tennessee,  and  in  patriotic 
strains  of  eloquence  have  appealed  to  Carolinians  for  its  adoption  as 
a  great  State  work.  Session  after  session  of  the  N.  C.  Legislature 
has  heard  these  appeals,  from  that  of  1829  and  1830  to  that  of  1854 
and  1855.  And  yet  no  State  aid  is  secured,  nor  has  the  great  Cen- 
tral Road  been  built  from  Beaufort  Harbor  through  Fayetteville  and 
to  Salisbury.  And  the  pen  of  History  must  record  the  fact,  that 
conflicting  interest  and  discord  have  kept  it  down;  patriotism,  State 
pride  and  riches  of  commerce  untold  have  all  been  scattered  to  the 
winds,  amid  the  jealousy,  the  rivalry  and  the  discord  of  towns  and 
sections  in  N.  C.  whose  interests,  real  or  supposed,  were  in  conflict. 

Our  people  have  been  content,  or  preferred  to  pay  tribute  to  other 

States,  on  at  least  nine-tenths  of  the  commerce  of  N.  C,  rather  than 

J    boldly  mark  out  a  line  of  policy  to  redeem  her  commercially,  and 

*j    stand  to  it  in  the  face  of  all  opposition.     In  the  march  of  improve- 

Q    ment,  political  demagogues  within,  and  open  foes  without,  have  kept 

r 


her  children  emphatically  hewers  of  wood  and  drawers  of  water  for 
other  States. 

Most  of  the  exports  of  N.  C.  are  either  governed  in  price  by  or 
shipped  to  European  ports;  yet  with  Europe,  our  great  consumer,  we 
have  no  intercourse  dire*ct, — not  a  tithe  of  our  products  are  shipped 
direct  to  their  place  of  consumption.  The  merchants  of  New  York, 
Boston,  Philadelphia  and  Baltimore  export  and  import  for  N.  C, 
and  her  people  as  producers  and  consumers,  have  to  pay  them 
heavy  profits  on  this  business.  If  a  farmer  ships  a  barrel  of  flour 
from  N.  C.  to  Europe,  he  has  to  incur  the  expense  of  a  coastwise 
shipment  to  some  of  the  Northern  ports,  and  pay  then  the  same  ex- 
penses across  the  Ocean  from  there  that  a  producer  from  a  Northern 
State  pays.  It  is  plain,  therefore,  that  the  industrial  pursuits  of  N. 
C.  in  every  department  are  heavily  taxed  to  support  such  a  system 
of  business,  and  that  we  must  do  more  work  for  less  pay  than  the 
people  of  any  other  Atlantic  State, — for  we  do  not  believe  that  any 
other  Atlantic  State  is  so  dependent  as  N.  C.  for  her  commerce. 

Extract  from  a  Speech  of  M.  J.  McDuffie,  on  the  Bill  to  amend  the 
Charter  of  the  Atlantic  R.  R.  Co. — January,  1855. 
But,  Mr.  Speaker,  as  North  Caroliua  bids  fair  to  enter  largely  into 
internal  improvements  at  this  session  of  the  Legislature,  I  think  it 
behooves  us  to  look  well  to  our  resources,  and  husband  them  for  our 
future  liabilities.  We  must  necessarily  tax  the  people  nearly  double, 
and  in  some  cases  more.  How,  therefore,  shall  we  compensate  them? 
How  shall  we  better  their  condition  as  a  mass,  or  enable  them  to 
meet  the  exigency?  In  the  first  place  we  must  contrive  the  best 
possible  means  for  transporting  or  shipping  their  produce.  Beaufort. 
I  believe,  is  the  best  harbor  in  North  Carolina,  and  therefore  pre- 
sents greater  inducements  to  the  shipping  interests  than  any  other, 
as  vessels  of  large  tonnage  can  clear  that  port  with  little  or  no  incon- 
venience. This  statement  which  I  hold  in  my  hand,  furnished  by  a 
gentleman  remarkable  for  his  accuracy  in  such  matters,  will  show 
the  many  advantages  which  ships  of  large  tonnage  enjoy  over  those 
of  small.  He  compares  two  vessels,  one  of  200  the  other  1000  tons 
burthen,  both  embarking  from  and  destined  to  the  same  port,  on  a 
six  months'  voyage.  He  supposes  the  smaller  to  carry  2000  barrels 
at  50  cents  each — $1000,  and  expenses  as  follows: 

Captain,  $40  per  month,  $240 

Mate,  30      do.  180 

Cook,  20      do.  120 

Helmsman,  20      do.  120 

Sailors,  two,  15      do.  180 


Making  in  all  $840 

which  deducted  from  the  $1000  of  freight  leaves  only  $160  for  the 
entire  trip.  Take  the  larger  vessel  of  1000  tons,  which  he  supposes 
to  carry  10,000  bbls.,  at  50  cents  each,  would  make  $5,000,  which 
undergoes  the  same  charges  of  the  smaller  with  the  exception  of  an 
additional  sailor,  making  $950,  which  deducted  from  $5,000  leaves 
$4,050,  showing  a  decided  advantage  over  the  smaller.     With  such 


advantages  and  with  such  an  harbor  as  Beaufort,  how  can  we  fail  to 
give  our  people  the  greatest  facilities  to  get  to  the  most  desirable 
markets? 

In  the  next  place,  sir,  direct  importation,  which  has  so  materially 
benefited  other  States,  would  be  almost  invaluable  to  ours.  We  have 
all  facilities,  as  we  have  just  shown,  which  other  States  have,  and  in 
fact  greater  than  the  majority,  yet  so  torpid  is  our  condition,  we 
never  seek  to  render  them  available.  North  Carolina,  in  my  opin- 
ion, would  act  judiciously  in  the  investment  of  $10,000,000  in  a  line 
of  steamers  to  Liverpool  to  carry  on  this  direct  trade.  And  why  do 
I  say  this?  Because,  sir,  it  can  be  demonstrated  beyond  doubt  by 
any  person  who  will  take  the  pains  to  calculate,  that  we  are  losing 
25  per  cent,  on  every  dollar's  worth  of  merchandize  we  consume  by 
not  importing  directly,  or,  in  other  words,  we  pay  to  those  who  do 
import,  25  per  cent,  for  doing  it,  when  we  could  just  as  easily  do  it 
ourselves,  and  save  the  25  per  cent.  Now,  to  illustrate  this,  take 
your  merchant  who  buys  $100  of  goods  from  New  York: 

His  exchange  is  I5  per  cent.,  $1  50 

Profits  to  N.  Y.  Merchant  25  per  cent.,  25  00 

Insurance  1$,  1  50 

Drayage,  1  25 

Wharfage,  1  25 

Freight,  3  00 


837  50 
Making  in  all  $37  50  on  every  hundred  dollars'  worth  of  Merchan- 
dize we  buy  in  New  York.  But  say  this  is  too  much,  that  the  fig- 
ures are  too  large,  yet  at  the  most  moderate  calculation  which  I  can 
make,  it  will  amount  to  at  least  $25  on  the  hundred  for  every  hun- 
dred dollars'  worth  we  buy.  Taking  this  for  our  data,  let  us  see  of 
what  incalculable  benefit  it  would  be  to  us,  to  import  direct  to  some 
one  of  our  own  ports.  According  to  our  best  advices,  at  any  rate  accord- 
ing to  the  best  information  I  have  been  able  to  get  on  the  subject, 
we  import  into  North  Carolina  annually  about  $50,000,000.  Now 
if  we  save  $25  on  every  hundred,  or  one-fourth,  we  would  therefore 
save  one-fourth  of  $50,000,000,  that  is  $12,500,000.  That  is,  if  we 
were  to  ship  this  direct  to  North  Carolina  instead  of  shipping  it  to 
New  York  first,  and  then  to  North  Carolina,  we  would  save  for  North 
Carolina,  $12,500,000  annually.  Enough,  Mr.  Speaker,  in  one  sin- 
gle year,  to  build  every  foot  of  Railroad,  to  refit  and  complete  every 
project  of  improvement  in  the  State.  By  this  simple  arithmetic,  it 
can  easily  be  seen  how  the  North  has  grown  rich  at  the  expense  of 
the  South,  how  beautiful  palaces  have  been  erected  on  the  banks  of 
the  Hudson,  and  the  Delaware,  how  opulent  cities  have  sprung  by 
mogic,as  it  were,  into  existence.  But  on  the  other  hand,  if  we  adopt  this 
policy  of  direct  importation,  we  can  easily  see  what  a  salutary  effect  it 
will  have  upon  our  Northern  brethren.  It  will  take  from  their  pockets 
$25  on  the  hundred  and  place  it  in  ours,  or  in  other  words,  we  do 
our  own  importing  instead  of  paying  them  $25  on  the  hundred  to 
do  it  for  us.  Now,  sir,  it  is  not  charitable,  neither  is  it  desirable, 
to  impoverish  our  neighbors;   but  charity  should  always  begin  at 


home,  and  it  is  both  charitable  and  economical  to  buy  where  we  can 
buy  the  cheapest.         ******** 

Instead  of  N.  C.  being  dependent  as  she  is  for  her  commerce  on 
Northern  States,  she  ought  to  have  States  dependent  on  her.  If 
she  cannot  compete  with  New  York  in  being  a  great  commercial 
centre,  she  can  import  for  herself  and  States  West  of  her.  Her  na- 
tural facilities  are  unsurpassed  for  commerce  and  inland  improve- 
ment; she  has  one  of  the  best  harbors,  near  the  centre  of  the  State 
and  of  the  United  States. 

But  we  not  only  ship  coastwise  what  is  shipped  by  N.  C.  towns. 
South  Carolina  and  Virginia  towns  take  through  them  a  very  large 
amount  of  N.  C.  produce,  and  thus  build  up  commercial  channels  in 
those  States  at  the  expense  of  N.  C.;  giving  them  the  credit  and  the 
profit  of  her  trade — making  them  richer  and  N.  C.  poorer — making 
them  more  able  and  N.  C.  less  able  to  give  commercial  facilities  to 
her  people. 

It  was  argued  by  a  Representative  from  Virginia  in  Congress,  that 
N.  C  was  interested  in  the  improvement  of  the  James  River  below 
Richmond,  because  a  large  amount  of  her  produce  was  shipped  down 
it,  and  that  therefore  N.  C.  members  ought  to  vote  for  the  bill  giv- 
ing money  for  that  purpose.  Whoever  will  look  upon  the  map  of 
the  United  States  will  see  how  far  the  James  River  is  navigable,  and 
what  distance  it  is  from  N.  C.,  and  that  the  trade  of  N.  C-,  of  which 
the  member  spoke,  is  carried  there  by  a  rail  road  and  thence  to  sea 
by  a  route  much  longer  and  more  expensive  than  to  Beaufort  Har- 
bor. And  that  all  the  arguments  which  apply  for  Virginia  improve- 
ments to  be  made  for  N.  C.  produce  apply  with  double  force  to  the 
people  of  N.  C.  themselves. 

We  should  not  complain  of  all  that  has  been  done,  but  we  should 
say  it  was  right,  if  we  had  not  as  good  commercial  facilities  as  any 
other  State  or  community  on  our  whole  Atlantic  coast.  But  having 
them,  we  say  it  to  our  shame  and  that  of  N.  C.,  that  we  have  not 
improved  them;  and  that  nothing  but  a  feeling  of  rivalry  and  jeal- 
ousy among  ourselves  has  kept  it  down,  and  still  keeps  our  section 
of  N.  C  from  its  benefits, — (the  section  on  the  line  of  the  Central 
Rail  Road.) 

Some  idea  may  be  formed  of  the  intensity  of  this  feeling  and  of 
height  of  patriotism  in  the  last  N.  C.  Legislature,  by  examining  the 
Journals  of  the  Senate.  It  will  be  seen  that  on  the  same  day  that 
a  bill  passed  that  body  giving  State  aid  to  this  road,  a  similar  bill 
passed  by  a  much  larger  majority  giving  State  aid  to  an  equal  amount 
to  a  road  that  would  terminate  in  Virginia,  and  carry  every  dollar 
of  its  trade  to  Virginia  towns.  And  by  the  further  fact,  that  the 
same  Legislature  passed  a  bill  giving  3200,000  to  a  Canal  Company 
devised  to  carry  trade  from  N.  C.  towns  and  out  of  the  Eastern  Riv- 
ers and  Sounds,  where  there  was  already  a  good  Canal  doing  the 
same  business,  while  it  refused  a  dollar  to  this  road,  although  it  was 
admitted  and  known  that  all  its  advantages  would  be  to  North  Ca- 
rolina and  her  citizens.  Here  are  some  of  the  specimens  of  N.  C. 
legislation,  out  of  many  which  prove  what  we  have  asserted. 


Dr.  Hawks,  in  his  Hints  on  the  internal  improvement  of  N.  C, 
whose  great  research  and  thorough  knowledge  are  admitted  by  all  in 
the  premises,  has  put  this  in  his  first  class  of  roads  in  the  State;  and 
every  unprejudiced  man,  who  knows  any  thing  about  N.  G.  com- 
mercially, will  agree  with  him  in  making  it  the  main  line  of  a  great 
system  of  Roads  designed  to  centre  at  Beaufort  Harbor,  and  run 
thence  through  the  centre  of  the  State  from  East  to  West,  from  the 
blue  sea  to  the  blue  mountains;  that  will  pass  through  her  great  di- 
versity of  soil,  of  climate,  of  productions,  of  field  and  forest,  of  sea 
and  mountains,  and  mines  of  coal,  copper,  iron  and  gold.  These 
are  the  reasons  for  making  it  a  State  road,  and  for  classing  it  as  the 
first  road  of  the  State.  Yet  a  road  that  would  develop  such  a  vast 
amount  of  resources,  and  unite  so  many  advantages,  for  reasons  pre- 
viously stated,  has  been  kept  down.  Shall  it  be  longer  so?  We  hope 
not. 

The  reasons  for  building  this  road  now  apply  with  more  force  than 
they  ever  have  before.  When  our  fathers  talked  about  building  it, 
28  years  ago,  rail  roads  were  imperfectly  constructed.  Instead  of  a 
wooden  road  strapped  with  iron,  as  Professor  Caldwell  described  the 
English  roads  of  that  time,  with  a  train  of  cars  going  four  miles  an 
hour  by  steam  or  horse  power,  roads  are  now  built  by  the  experience 
of  thirty  years,  and  engines  pass  over  them  from  30  to  40  miles  an 
hour  with  ease  and  safety.  And  no  other  means  of  inland  commu- 
nication has  kept  pace  with  them  in  the  race  of  improvement.  The 
population  of  the  State  has  increased,  and  intelligence,  the  arts,  and 
I  may  add,  the  wants  of  our  people,  have  increased  in  a  treble  ratio. 

Nut  less  has  been  the  improvement  in  navigating  the  Ocean.  28 
years  past  has  made  marked  and  wonderful  changes  in  the  size  and 
speed  of  ships,  in  transportation  by  sea.  And  it  is  these  combined 
causes  that  make  this  road  at  this  time,  with  many  others  peculiar 
and  not  applying  before,  pre-eminently  a  work  demanded  by  the 
commerce  of  X.  C.  and  all  the  varied  interests  connected  with  it. 

CHARTER  OF  THE  CENTRAL  RAIL  ROAD. 

An  Act  to  incorporate  a  Company  to  construct  a  Railroad  from  some 
point  on  the  waters  of  Beaufort  Harbor,   (to  be  hereafter  deter- 
mined,) to  the  Tenon  of  Fayetteville,  through  the  counties  of  Car- 
teret, Onslow,  Duplin,  Sampson  and  Cumberland. 
Sec.  1.   Be  it   enacted  by   the  General   Assembly  of  the  State  of 
North   Carolina,  and  it  is   hereby  enacted   by  the   authority  of  the 
same,  That  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  a  communication  by  Rail- 
road, from  the  most  eligible  point  on  the  waters  of  Beaufort  Harbor, 
in  the  county  of  Carteret,  with  the  town  of  Fayetteville,  the  forma- 
tion of  a  company,  with  a  capital  of  two  millions  of  dollars,  is  here- 
by authorized,   to  be  called    uthe  Central  Railroad   Company,"  and 
when   formed   in   compliance  with   the  conditions  hereinafter  pre- 
scribed, to  have  a  body  politic  in  perpetuity. 

Sec.  2.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  said  company  be,  and 
they  are  hereby  authorized  to  construct  a  Railroad  from  such  point 
on  the  waters  of  Beaufort  Harbor,  (to  be  determined  by  said  com- 
pany,  after  the  same  shall  have  been  formed,)  to  the  town  of  Fay- 


etteville,  then  to  some  point  on  the  North  Carolina  Railroad,  or 
upon  the  Wilmington  and  Charlotte  road,  at  such  point  as  the  com- 
pany may  select,  after  the  company  is  formed. 

Sec.  3.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  for  the  purpose  of  creating 
the  capital  stock  of  said  company,  it  shall  be  lawful  to  open  books 
in  the  county  of  Onslow,  under  the  direction  of  J.  H.  Foy,  John  A. 
Averitt,  Jr.,  Owen  Huggins,  E.  W.  Fonville,  G.  J.  Ward,  Robert 
White  and  L.  W.  Humphrey;  in  the  county  of  Carteret,  under  the 
direction  of  M.  F.  Arendell,  J.  F.  Bell,  Levi  J.  Oglesby,  Bridge 
Arendell,  Levi  Oglesby,  H.  S.  Bell  and  William  N.  Davis;  in  the 
county  of  Duplin,  under  the  direction  of  Owen  R.  Kenan,  David 
Reid,  Isaac  B.  Kelly,  William  E.  Hill,  William  J.  Houston  and 
Stephen  Graham;  in  the  county  of  Sampson,  under  the  direction  of 
Thomas  I.  Faison,  Thomas  Bunting,  William  McKoy,  Patrick  Mur- 
phy, William  Faison,  J.  R  Beaman  and  Alfred  Johnson;  in  the 
county  of  Cumberland,  under  the  direction  of  George  McNeill, 
Thomas  R.  Underwood,  D.  G.  McRae,  Randal  McDaniel,  Jesse  G. 
Shepherd,  Edward  L.  Winslow  and  John  C.  Blocker;  and  at  such 
other  places,  and  under  the  direction  of  such  other  persons  as  a 
majority  of  the  commissioners  named  for  the  county  of  Onslow  may 
deem  proper,  for  the  purpose  of  receiving  subscription  to  an  amount 
not  exceeding  two  millions  of  dollars,  in  shares  of  one  hundred  dol- 
lars each. 

Sec.  4.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  commissioners  above  named, 
and  all  other  persons  who  may  hereafter  be  authorized  as  aforesaid, 
to  open  books  for  subscription,  shall  open  the  same  at  any  time  after 
the  ratification  of  this  act,  first  giving  twenty  days  notice  thereof  of 
the  time  and  place,  in  one  or  more  of  the  newspapers  printed  in 
Fayetteville  and  Beaufort;  and  the  said  books,  when  open,  shall  be 
kept  open  for  the  space  of  sixty  days  at  least,  and  as  long  thereafter 
as  the  commissioners  first  above  named  shall  direct;  and  the  said 
first  named  commissioners  shall  have  power  to  call  on  and  require 
all  persons  empowered  to  receive  subscriptions  of  stock,  at  any  time 
and  from  time  to  time,  as  a  majority  of  them  may  think  proper,  to 
make  returns  of  the  subscriptions  of  stock  by  them  respectively  re- 
ceived. 

Sec.  5.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  whenever  the  sum  of  one 
hundred  thousand  dollars  shall  be  subscribed,  in  manner  and  form 
aforesaid,  the  subscribers,  their  executors,  administrators  or  assigns, 
shall  be  and  they  are  hereby  declared  incorporated  into  a  company, 
by  the  name  and  style  of  the  "Central  Railroad  Company,"  and  by 
that  name  may  be  capable,  in  law  and  equity,  of  purchasing,  hold- 
ing, selling,  leasing  and  conveying  estates,  real,  personal  and  mixed, 
and  of  acquiring  the  same  by  gift  or  devise,  so  far  as  shall  be  neces- 
sary for  the  purpose  embraced  in  the  scope,  object  and  intent  of  their 
charter  and  no  further,  and  shall  have  perpetual  succession,  and  by 
their  corporate  name  may  sue  and  be  sued,  plead  and  be  impleaded, 
in  any  court  of  law  and  equity  in  this  State,  may  have  and  uss  a 
common  seal,  which  they  may  alter  and  renew  at  pleasure,  and  shall 
have  and  eDJoy  all  other  rights  and  immunities  which  other  corpo- 
rate bodies  may  and  of  right  do  exercise,  and  make  all  such  by-laws. 


9 

rules  and  regulations,  as  are  necessary  for  the  government  of  the 
corporation,  for  effecting  the  object  for  which  it  was  created,  not  in- 
consistent with  the  constitution  and  laws  of  this  State. 

Sec.  6.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the 
commissioners  named  in  this  act  for  receiving  subscriptions  in  Ons- 
low, or  a  majority  of  them,  as  soon  as  the  sum  of  one  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars  shall  have  been  subscribed  in  manner  aforesaid,  to  give 
public  notice  thereof,  and  at  the  same  time  call  a  general  meeting  of 
the  stockholders,  giving  at  least  thirty  days  notice  of  the  time  and 
place  of  meeting,  at  which  meeting,  a  majority  of  the  stockholders 
being  represented  in  person  or  by  proxy,  shall  proceed  to  elect  a 
president  and  treasurer  and  nine  directors,  out  of  the  number  of 
stockholders,  and  the  said  directors  shall  have  power  to  perform  all 
the  duties  necessary  for  the  government  of  the  corporation  and  the 
transaction  of  the  business;  and  the  persons  elected  as  aforesaid,  shall 
serve  such  period,  not  exceeding  one  year,  as  the  stockholders  may 
direct,  and  at  that  meeting  the  stockholders  shall  fix  on  the  day  aud 
place  or  places  where  the  subsequent  election  of  president  and  trea- 
surer and  directors  shall  be  held,  and  such  election  shall  thenceforth 
be  annually  made;  but  if  the  day  of  the  annual  election  of  officers 
shall  under  any  circumstances  pass  without  an  election,  the  corpo- 
ration shall  not  thereby  be  dissolved,  but  the  officers  formerly  elect- 
ed shall  continue  in  office  until  a  new  election  takes  place. 

Sec.  7.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  election  of  officers*  afore- 
said shall  be  by  ballot,  each  stockholder  having  as  many  votes  as  he 
has  shares  in  the  stock  of  the  company,  and  the  person  having  the 
greatest  number  of  votes  polled  shall  be  considered  duly  elected  to 
the  office  for  which  be  is  nominated,  and  that  all  elections  and  upon 
all  votes  taken  at  any  meeting  of  the  stockholders  upon  any  by-laws 
or  any  of  the  officers  of  the  company,  each  share  of  stock  shall  be 
entitled  to  one  vote,  to  be  represented  either  in  person  or  by  proxy, 
and  proxies  may  be  verified  in  su?h  manner  as  the  by-laws  of  the 
company  prescribe. 

Sec.  8.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  board  of  directors  may  fill 
any  vacancies  which  may  occur  in  it  during  the  period  for  which 
they  have  been  elected,  and  in  the  absence  of  the  president  may  ap- 
point a  president,  pro  tempore,  to  fill  his  place. 

Sec.  9.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  board  of  directors  may 
call  for  the  sum  subscribed  as  stock  in  said  company  in  such  instal- 
ments as  the  interest  of  said  company  may,  in  their  opinion,  re- 
quire; the  call  for  each  payment  shall  be  published  in  one  or  more 
newspapers  of  the  State  for  one  month  before  the  day  of  payment; 
and  on  failure  of  any  stockholder  to  pay  each  instalment  as  thus  re- 
quired, the  directors  may  sell  at  public  auction  on  a  previous  notice 
of  ien  days,  for  cash,  all  the  stock  subscribed  for  in  said  company  by 
such  stockholders,  and  convey  the  same  to  the  purchaser  at  said  sale, 
and  if  the  said  sale  of  stock  do  not  produce  a  sum  sufficient  to  pay 
off  the  incidental  expenses  of  the  sale  and  the  entire  amount  owing 
by  such  stockholder  in  the  company  for  such  subscription  of  stock, 
then,  and  in  that  case,  the  whole  of  such  balance  shall  be  held  as 
due  at  once  to  the   company,  and  may  be  recovered  of  such  stock- 


10 

holder  or  his  executors,  administrators  or  assigns,  at  the  suit  of  said 
company,  either  by  summary  motion  in  any  court  of  superior  juris- 
diction in  the  county  where  the  delinquent  resides  on  previous  notice 
of  ten  days  to  said  subscribers,  or  by  the  action  of  assumpsit,  in  any 
court  of  competent  jurisdiction,  or  by  warrant  before  a  justice  of  the 
peace  where  the  sum  does  not  exceed  one  hundred  dollars,  and  in 
all  cases  of  assignment  of  stock  before  the  whole  amount  has  been 
paid  to  the  company,  then  for  all  sums  due  on  such  stock  both  the 
original  subscribers  and  the  first  and  all  subsequent  assignees,  shall 
be  liable  to  the  company,  and  the  same  may  be  recovered  as  above 
described. 

Sec.  10.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  debt  of  the  stockholders 
due  to  the  company  for  stock  therein,  either  as  original  proprietors 
or  as  first  or  subsequent  assignee  shall  be  considered  as  of  equal 
dignity  with  judgments  in  the  distribution  of  assets  of  a  deceased 
stockholder  by  his  legal  representative. 

Sec.  11.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  said  company  shall  issue 
certificates  of  stock  to  its  members,  and  said  stock  may  be  transferred 
in  such  manner  and  form  as  may  be  directed  by  the  by-laws  of  the 
company. 

Sec.  12.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  said  company  may,  at 
any  time,  increase  its  capital  stock  to  a  sum  sufficient  to  complete 
said  road,  not  exceeding  the  additional  sum  of  five  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars,  by  opening  books  for  the  subscription  of  new  stock,  or 
borrowing  money  on  the  credit  of  the  company,  and  on  the  mortgage 
of  its  charter  and  works;  and  the  manner  in  which  the  same  shall  be 
done,  in  either  case,  shall  be  prescribed  by  the  stockholders. 

Sec.  13.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  said  company  shall  have 
power  of  using  any  section  of  the  said  road  constructed  by  them  be- 
fore the  whole  of  said  road  shall  be  completed,  and  may  charge  for 
transportation  thereon. 

Sec.  14.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  all  contracts  or  agreements 
authenticated  by  the  president  and  secretary  of  the  board,  shall  be 
binding  on  the  company  with  or  without  a  seal;  such  a  mode  of  au- 
thentication shall  be  used  as  the  company  by  their  by-laws  may  adopt. 

Sec.  15.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  said  company  may  pur- 
chase, have  and  hold  in  fee  or  for  a  term  of  years,  any  lands,  tene- 
ments or  hereditaments  which  may  be  necessary  for  the  said  road,  or 
for  the  erection  of  depositories,  storehouses,  houses  for  the  officers, 
servants  or  agents  of  the  company,  or  for  workshops  or  foundries  to 
be  used  by  the  company,  or  for  procuring  stone  or  other  materials 
necessary  to  the  construction  of  the  road,  or  effecting  transportation. 

Sec.  16.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  company  shall  have  the 
right,  when  necessary,  to  construct  the  said  railroad  across  any  pub- 
lic road  or  along  the  side  of  any  public  road:  Provided,  That  the 
said  company  shall  not  obstruct  any  public  road,  without  first  con- 
structing one  equally  as  good  and  as  convenient  as  the  one  taken  by 
said  company. 

Sec.  17.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  when  any  lands  or  right  of 
way  may  be  required  by  the  said  company  for  the  purpose  of  con- 
structing their  road,  building  warehouses,  water-stations,  workshops 


11 

or  depositories,  and  for  want  of  agreement  as  to  the  value  thereof  or 
from  any  other  cause  the  same  cannot  be  purchased  from  the  owner 
or  owners,  the  same  may  be  taken  at  a  valuation  to  be  made  by  a 
jury  of  good  and  lawful  men,  to  be  summoned  by  the  sheriff  of  the 
county  in  which  the  land  required  by  the  company  may  lie;  and  in 
making  said  valuation  the  said  jury  shall  take  into  consideration  the 
loss  or  damage  which  may  accrue  to  the  owner  or  owners  in  conse- 
quence of  the  land  or  right  of  way  being  surrendered,  and  the  bene- 
fit and  advantage  he,  she  or  they  may  receive  from  the  erection  of 
the  said  road,  &c,  and  shall  state  particularly  the  value  and  amount 
of  each,  and  the  excess  of  loss  or  damage  over  and  above  the  advan- 
tages and  benefits  shall  form  the  measure  of  valuation  of  said  land 
or  right  of  way:  Provided,  nevertheless,  That  if  any  person  or  persona 
over  whose  land  the  said  road  may  pass,  or  the  company  should  be 
dissatisfied  with  the  valuation  thus  made,  then  and  in  that  case  either 
party  may  have  an  appeal  to  the  court  of  the  county  to  be  held  there- 
after, and  the  sheriff  shall  return  to  the  said  court  the  verdict  of  the 
jury,  with  all  their  proceedings  thereon;  and  the  lands  or  rights  of 
way,  so  valued  by  the  jury,  shall  vest  in  the  said  company  so  long 
as  the  same  shall  be  used  for  the  purpose  of  said  railroad,  so  soon  as 
the  valuation  may  be  paid,  or  if  refused,  paid  over  to  the  clerk  of 
the  county  court:  Provided,  That  the  right  of  condemnation  shall 
not  authorize  said  company  to  invade  the  dwellinghouse,  yard,  or 
garden  or  graveyard  of  any  individual,  without  his  consent. 

Sec.  18.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  right  of  said  company  to 
condemn  land,  in  the  manner  described  in  the  above  section,  shall 
extend  to  the  condemnation  only  of  one  hundred  feet  on  each  side 
of  the  main  track  of  the  road,  measuring  from  the  centre  of  the  same, 
unless  in  case  of  deep  cuts  and  filling,  when  said  company  shall  have 
power  to  condemn  as  much  in  addition  thereto  as  may  be  necessary 
for  the  purpose  of  constructing  said  road;  and  the  company  in  like 
manner  shall  have  power  to  condemn  any  appropriate  lands  for  the 
constructing  and  building  of  depots,  shops,  &e.,  not  exceeding  ten 
acres  in  any  one  lot  or  station. 

Sec.  19.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  said  company  shall  have 
the  exclusive  right  of  conveyance  or  transportation  of  persons,  goods, 
merchandise,  produce  and  minerals  over  said  road,  at  such  charges 
as  may  be  fixed  on  by  a  majority  of  the  directors. 

Sec.  20.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  profits  of  the  company, 
or  so  much  thereof  as  the  board  of  directors  may  deem  advisable, 
shall,  when  the  affairs  of  the  company  will  permit,  be  annually  or 
semi-annually  divided  among  the  stockholders,  in  proporticn  to  the 
stock  each  may  own. 

Sec.  21.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  notice  of  process  upon  the 
president,  or  any  of  the  directors  thereof,  shall  be  deemed  and  taken 
to  be  due  and  lawful  notice  of  service  of  process  upon  the  company. 

Sec.  22.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  said  company  shall  have 
power  to  construct  branches  to  said  road,  or  to  connect  with  any 
other  railroad  that  may  be  constructed;  and  any  contract  that  may 
be  entered  into  with  any  other  railroad  company,  by  the  president 
and  directors  of  said  company,  after' the  consent  of  a  majority  of  the 
stockholders  first  obtained,  shall  be  binding  on  the  said  company. 


12 

Sec.  23.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  it  may  and  shall  be  lawful 
for  the  said  Central  Railroad  Company  to  make  and  issue  bonds  to 
an  amount  not  exceeding  four  hundred  thousand  dollars,  to  be  sign- 
ed by  the  president  of  said  company,  under  the  common  seal  of  the 
same,  in  sums  of  one  thousand  dollars  each,  bearing  interest  at  the 
rate  of  seven  per  cent,  per  annum,  to  be  paid  semi-annually  in  the 
city  of  New  York  or  Boston,  at  their  option,  and  redeemable  in  1880. 

Sec.  24.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  to  secure  the  faithful  pay- 
ment of  the  said  bonds,  it  shall  and  may  be  lawful  for  the  president 
and  directors  of  the  Central  Railroad  Company  to  make,  execute  and 
deliver  to  such  persons,  either  in  the  city  of  New  York  or  Boston  as 
the  said  company  may  select  and  appoint,  a  deed  of  trust  or  mort- 
gage, under  the  common  seal  of  said  company,  wherein  shall  be  con- 
veyed to  the  person  thus  appointed  trustee,  the  road,  property,  in- 
come and  franchises  of  said  company  acquired  or  to  be  acquired, 
conditioned  for  the  payment  of  the  interest  and  final  redemption  of 
said  bonds. 

Sec.  25.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  all  the  officers  of  the  com- 
pany, and  servants  and  persons  in  the  actual  employment  of  the 
company,  be  and  they  are  hereby  exempt  from  performing  ordinary 
militia  duty,  working  on  public  roads  and  serving  as  jurors. 

Sec.  26.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  all  the  work  hereby  required 
shall  be  executed  with  due  diligence,  and  if  it  be  not  commenced 
within  four  years  after  the  ratification  of  this  act,  then  this  charter 
shall  be  void. 

Sec.  27.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  it  shall  and  may  be  lawful 
for  any  incorporated  town,  or  any  county  through  which  said  rail- 
road may  pass,  to  subscribe  for  such  amount  of  stock  in  said  com- 
pany as  they  or  either  of  them  shall  be  authorized  to  do  by  the  in- 
habitants of  said  town  or  the  citizens  of  such  county,  in  manner  and 
form  as  hereinafter  provided. 

Sec.  28.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  corporate  authorities  of 
such  town,  or  the  justices  of  the  peace  of  such  county,  (a  majority 
of  the  justices  of  said  county  concurring,)  are  authorized  to  make  an 
order  requiring  the  constable  of  such  town,  and  the  sheriff  of  such 
county,  at  such  time  and  on  such  notice  as  they  shall  direct,  to  open 
a  poll  and  take  the  sense  of  the  voters  of  such  town  qualified  to  vote 
for  town  officers,  and  of  the  voters  of  such  county  qualified  to  vote 
for  members  of  the  House  of  Commons  of  the  General  Assembly, 
whether  the  officers  of  said  town  and  the  justices  of  the  peace  of  said 
county  shall  subscribe  to  the  stock  of  said  company  for  such  sum  as 
the  order  shall  propose,  and  the  constable  shall  make  return  of  the 
number  voting  for  and  against  it  to  the  magistrate  of  police  of  said 
town,  or  the  presiding  officer  thereof;  and  the  sheriff  in  like  manner 
shall  make  return  as  to  the  vote  in  his  county  to  the  first  court 
thereafter,  to  be  held  for  said  county,  and  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the 
sheriff  to  notify  such  justice  of  his  county  to  attend  at  the  court  to 
which  he  shall  make  said  return. 

Sec.  29.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  if  upon  the  return  of  such 
constable  or  of  such  sheriff,  it  shall  appear  that  a  majority  of  votes 
are  in  favor  of  the  subscription,   then  the  corporate  authorities  of 


such  town  shall  make  the  subscription  for  such  town;  and  in  like 
manner,  if  a  majorrty  of  the  votes  of  such  county  shall  be  in  favor  of 
the  subscription,  then  the  justices  of  said  county  shall  appoint  an 
agent  to  make  the  subscription  iu  behalf  of  said  county,  the  sub- 
scriptions to  be  paid  for  in  the  bonds  of  said  town  or  in  cash,  as  the 
authorities  may  elect;  and  the  agents  shall  pay  the  county  subscrip- 
tion in  like  manner,  or  on  such  terms  as  may  be  agreed  upon  by  the 
parties  with  whom  he  may  negotiate. 

Sec.  30.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  for  the  purpose  of  paying 
the  quota  on  said  stock  as  they  may  be  called  for,  or  the  instalments 
on  such  subscriptions  as  may  fall  due,  the  town  authorities  on  their 
part,  and  the  justices  of  the  county  for  themselves,  shall  have  power 
to  appoint  an  agent  or  agents  to  negotiate  a  loan  or  loans  for  and  in 
the  name  of  such  town  and  for  such  couuty;  and  it  shall  be  the  duty 
of  the  authorities  of  such  town  and  the  authorities  of  such  county, 
to  lay  such  tax  or  taxes  annually  on  the  persons,  land  and  other 
property  within  such  town  and  within  such  county,  as  may  be  suf- 
licient  to  pay  their  respective  quota  or  instalments  as  they  become 
due,  or  the  interest  on  such  loan  or  loans  with  the  interest  thereon, 
as  said  town  authorities  and  justices  of  said  couuty  may  deem  neces- 
sary, and  make  such  order  or  orders  for  the  due  collection  and  pay- 
ment of  the  same;  and  the  stock  thus  subscribed  either  by  the  town 
or  by  the  county,  shall  stand  pledged  for  the  payment  of  the  loan 
thus  authorized  to  be  contracted  on  their  parts  respectively. 

[Ratified  the  16th  day  of  February  1855.] 

The  first  provision  in  the  Charter  to  be  noticed,  is  the  beginning 
of  the  road — at  the  best  point  on  the  west  side  of  Beaufort  Harbor. 
And  in  order  to  fully  appreciate  the  advantages  of  this  beginning, 
let  us  see  what  Beaufort  Harbor  is,  and  we  will  also  see  how  it  com- 
pares with  other  harbors,  the  only  ones  in  competition  with  it  for 
the  trade  of  sections  of  country  through  which  the  Central  Road 
will  pass. 

Extracts  from  the  Report  of  Henry  L.  Whiting,  Assistant  in  the 

Coast  Survey,  on  the   Survey  of  Beaufort  Harbor,  N.  C,  to  A. 

D.  Bache,  Superintendent,  and  from  him  to  the  Secretary  of  the 

Treasury,  1851. 

Washington,  May  13,  1851. 

In  reporting  upon  the  natural  character  and  peculiarities  of  Beau- 
fort, as  a  harbor  and  port,  I  will  state  such  facts  as  have  come  under 
my  personal  knowledge,  and  also  communicate  my  opinion  regard- 
ing its  entrance  and  the  facilities  it  might  afford  to  the  commercial 
interest  of  this  region. 

The  outside  beach,  or  "bank,"  opposite  Beaufort  harbor,  is  of  the 
usual  formation  of  this  coast.  It  is  mostly  covered  with  a  low  pine, 
and  mixed  growth,  and  its  average  width  is  about  half  a  mile;  the 
sand  hills  and  ridges  upon  it  are  from  20  to  35  or  40  feet  high,  thus 
forming  a  good  and  sufficient  shelter,  from  both  wind  and  sea,  to  all 
vessels  anchored  inside  the  banks;  the  holding-ground  is  also  good, 
as  shown  by  the  results  of  the  hydrographical  survey. 


14 

The  interior  shores  of  the  harbor  are  mostly  of  marsh,  grown  with 
masses  of  oyster-beds  and  shells,  which,  near  the  edges  and  where 
the  sand  has  united  with  them,  are  quite  hard  and  solid.  At  Lenox- 
ville  and  Shepherd's  Point,  and  at  the  town  of  Beaufort,  the  main 
upland  comes  to  the  water's  edge.  At  the  two  former  points,  the 
deep  waters  of  Newport  and  North  River  channels  approacn  quite 
near  the  shore,  and  without  any  intervening  shoals. 

During  the  last  thirty  years  there  does  not  appear  to  have  been 
any  particular  change,  either  in  the  shore-line  or  shoals  within  the 
limits  of  the  harbor.  The  causes  and  action  of  tide,  &c,  which  first 
formed  them,  seem  to  continue  them  in  their  general  position  and 
extent. 

That  the  inlet  and  bar  of  Beaufort  are  probably  the  best  on  our 
whole  eastern  seacoast,  south  of  the  Chesapeake  bay,  is,  I  believe,  a 
matter  of  fact,  and  needs  no  comment. 

There  are  two  principal  causes  which,  I  think,  have  preserved  this 
inlet,  and  will  continue  to  keep  it  open,  with  probably  deeper  water 
than  any  of  the  other  harbors  on  this  coast. 

One  of  these  causes  is  the  shelter  and  eddy  currents  occasioned 
by  Cape  Lookout.  The  influence  of  these  currents  upon  the  inlet, 
opening  as  it  does  to  the  south,  and  in  the  "bite"  of  the  cove  imme- 
diately under  it,  is,  to  cut  and  carry  away  the  sands  and  shoals  which 
storms  may  throw  up,  and  deposite  them  at  the  point  of  the  cape. 
At  least,  it  is  obvious  that  the  influence  which  has  formed  Cape 
Lookout,  and  creates  the  deep  water  and  bold  shore  of  this  cove  im- 
mediately south  of  it,  will  not  allow  any  deposites  to  take  place  at  a 
point  where  the  eddy  and.  counter-currents  have  their  greatest  effect; 
while  the  projection  of  the  cape,  and  the  shoals  extending  beyond 
it,  prevent  the  action  of  the  sea  within  this  cove  from  being  as  great, 
or  having  the  same  effect,  as  upon  a  coast  presenting  an  unprotected 
and  nearly  even  outline  to  the  action  of  storms  and  breakers,  as  is 
the  case  on  the  shores  both  above  and  below  Cape  Lookout  and 
Cape  Hatteras. 

The  other  influence  which  I  think  will  always  tend  to  preserve 
the  inlet  at  Beaufort,  is  from  the  non-existence  of  any  large  interior 
sound  or  bay. 

•  The  current  through  the  inlet  is  wholly  a  tidal  one,  and  the  back 
waters  of  "Borgne"  and  "Cove  sounds,"  and  from  "Newport"  and 
"North"  rivers,  accumulate  no  more  on  the  flood  tide  than  escapes 
on  the  ebb;  they  are  also  of  such  extent  and  so  located  as  to  be  ma- 
terially affected  by  the  tide,  being  filled  and  emptied  by  the  flood 
and  ebb,  and  there  are  no  fresh-water  feeders  to  either  of  the  rivers 
sufficient  to  at  all  affect  their  currents. 

There  is  thus  a  strong  and  continual  tidal  current  through  the 
inlet,  and  this  current  is  not  lost  or  overpowered  by  a  heavy  swell 
from  sea,  deadening  its  effect  and  throwing  back  the  sand,  which  it 
displaces,  in  shoals  and  bars;  but  it  runs  with  the  eddy  currents  of 
the  cove  into  which  the  inlet  opens,  and  the  same  action  and  effect 
is  continued  that  the  current  out  of  the  inlet  produces,  all  tending 
to  preserve  and  deepen  the  channel. 

In  comparing   the  inlet  at  Beaufort  with  Ocracoke  and  others 


15 

opening  from  the  large  sounds,  the  advantages  and  disadvantages  of 
either  are  obvious.  These  latter  are  almost  as  much  exposed  ou  the 
inside  to  the  great  mass  of  waters  in  the  sounds  as  they  are  on  the 
outside  to  the  ocean.  The  effect  of  storms  and  tides  is  consequently 
great  as  well  as  uncertain.  Heavy  storms  from  the  westward  pre- 
vent the  tide  from  flowing  through  the  inlets  from  the  ocean,  while 
the  water  and  surf  from  the  sounds  heave  up  swashes  and  shoals  on 
the  inside. 

The  action  of  storms  from  sea  is  still  worse,  while  the  waters  of 
the  sounds  are  driven  back  and  shoals  are  thrown  up  and  formed 
across  the  mouth  of  the  inlet,  without  any  counter  influence  to  pre- 
vent or  carry  them  away. 

In  a  commercial  point  of  view,  Beaufort,  as  a  harbor  and  port, 
has  many  advantages  and  is  well  situated.  There  is  uo  river  or 
inland  navigation  to  delay  or  require  the  towing  of  large  vessels.  A 
ship  drawing  20  feet  water  can  leave  at  any  state  of  the  tide  with 
almost  any  wind,  and  discharge  her  pilot  at  sea  in  from  30  to  45 
minutes  after  weighing  anchor. 

It  seems,  therefore,  that  the  usefulness  of  one  of  the  best  harbors 
and  ports  on  our  whole  southern  coast  is  lost  from  the  want  of  pro- 
per facilities  of  communication  and  internal  improvements,  giving 
access  to  it  from  the  interior  country  and  cities. 
I  remain,  sir,  very  respectfully  yours, 

HENRY  L.  WHITING. 

Prof.  A.  D.  Bache, 

Superintendent  U.  S.  Coast  Survey,  Washington. 

Extract  from  Hawks' s  Hints  on  the  Internal  Improvement  of  North 
Carolina, — pages  6,  7,  8,  9. 

Old  Topsail  or  Beaufort  Inlet. — This  is  about  fifty  miles 
distant  from  Ocracoke,  by  an  air  line,  and  is  situated  to  the  west- 
ward of  Cape  Lookout,  the  coast  running  from  the  Cape  almost  due 
west,  for  some  seventy  or  eighty  miles,  and  consequently,  having  for 
that  distance  the  sea  immediately  south  of  it.  It  is  this  part  of  the 
coast  which  presents  the  "remarkable  exception"  to  which  we  have 
alluded  above. 

The  only  region  to  which  access  is  afforded  from  without  by  this 
inlet,  is  Beaufort  and  the  lands  in  Carteret  County. 

As  to  this  inlet,  Wimble  represents  it,  in  the  sailing  directions 
attached  to  his  chart  of  1738,  as  having  seventeen  feet  of  water  on 
the  bar,  while  on  the  chart  itself  he  marks  but  fifteen.  Professor 
Bache,  superintendent  of  the  Coast  Survey,  in  his  chart  of  1851,  re- 
presents it  as  having  seventeen  feet  of  water  on  the  bar  at  mean  low 
water.  About  four  feet  four  inches  was  the  highest  rise  of  tide  he 
observed;  the  mean  may  be  computed  at  two  feet  and  a  half.  The 
report  on  the  Coast  Survey,  made  to  Congress  in  1851,  states  that  a 
"ship  drawing  twenty  feet  water  can  leave  at  any  state  of  the  tide, 
with  almost  any  wind,  and  discharge  her  pilot  at  sea  in  from  thirty 
to  forty-five  minutes  after  weighing  anchor." 

Of  this  inlet  and  harbor,  the  following  facts  may  be  affirmed. 

1.  From  the  survey  of  Wimble  in  1738,  up  to  that  of  Prof.  Bache 


16 

in  1851  (123  years,)  scarce  any  changes  have  occurred;  and  such  as 
have,  have  tended  to  make  the  inlet  and  harbor  better  instead  of  worse. 

2.  Wimble's  survey  shows  the  depth  of  channel  inside  of  the  bar 
to  have  been,  in  his  day,  very  much  the  same  that  it  now  is;  and  the 
Coast  Survey  of  1851  states  that  "during  the  last  thirty  years  there 
does  not  appear  to  have  been  any  particular  change,  either  in  the 
shore  line  or  shoals  within  the  limits  of  the  harbor.  The  causes  and 
action  of  tide,  &c,  which  first  formed  them,  seem  to  continue  them 
in  their  general  position  and  extent." 

3.  The  outside  beach  or  "bank,"  protecting  the  harbor  from  the 
sea,  is  of  an  average  width  of  about  half  a  mile.  "The  sand-hills 
and  ridges  upon  it  (says  the  report  on  the  Coast  Survey)  are  from 
twenty  to  thirty-five  or  forty  feet  high,  thus  forming  a  good  and  suf- 
ficient shelter  from  both  wind  and  sea,  to  all  vessels  anchored  inside 
the  banks;  the  holding  ground  is  also  good." 

4.  The  harbor  is  very  spacious,  and  the  water  deep  enough;  a  lit- 
tle labor  will  make  the  land  at  Lenoxville,  Beaufort,  and  Shepard's 
Point,  all  immediately  contiguous,  to  any  depth  of  water  required. 

5.  There  are  certain  natural  causes  likely  to  keep  this  inlet  and 
harbor  in  their  present  condition.  The  experience  of  123  years  would 
seem  to  establish  these  causes  as  sufficient.     They  are  as  follows: 

I.  The  shore  here  runs  east  and  west,  fronting  to  the  south.  To 
the  eastward  of  this  inlet  Cape  Lookout  projects  some  eight  or  ten 
miles  southwardly  into  the  sea,  forming  thereby  a  cove,  in  which 
this  inlet  is  placed.  It  makes  a  natural  break-water.  The  report 
of  the  officer  intrusted  with  this  part  of  the  Coast  Survey,  represents 
Cape  Lookout  as  a  prominent  cause  why  the  inlet  has  hitherto  been 
preserved,  and  will  continue  to  keep  open,  with  probably  deeper  wa- 
ter than  any  other  harbor  on  the  coast.  It  explains  the  operation 
of  this  cause  from  the  fact  that  the  cape  affords  a  shelter,  and  occa- 
sions also  an  eddy  current.  "The  influence  of  these  currents  upon 
the  inlet,  opening,  as  it  does,  to  the  south,  and  in  the  'bite'  of  the 
cove  immediately  under  it,  is  to  cut  and  carry  away  the  sands  and 
shoals  which  storms  may  throw  up,  and  deposit  them  at  the  point  of 
the  cape.  At  least,  it  is  obvious  that  the  influence  which  has  formed 
Cape  Lookout,  and  creates  the  deep  water  and  bold  shore  of  this 
cove,  immediately  south  of  it,  will  not  allow  any  deposits  to  take 
place  at  a  point  where  the  eddy  and  counter-currents  have  their 
greatest  effect;  while  the  projection  of  the  cape,  and  the  shoals  ex- 
tending beyond  it,  prevent  the  action  of  the  sea  within  this  cove 
from  being  as  great,  or  having  the  same  effect,  as  upon  a  coast  pre- 
senting an  unprotected  and  nearly  even  outline  to  the  action  of 
storms  and  breakers,  as  is  the  case  on  the  shores  both  above  and  be- 
low Cape  Lookout  and  Cape  Hatteras."  This  view  is,  we  humbly 
think,  sustained  by  the  laws  of  physics;  and  the  attentive  reader 
will  perceive  that  the  effect  of  cutting  and  carrying  away  the  sands 
in  the  cove,  to  deposit  them  at  the  point  of  the  cape,  is  constantly 
to  increase  the  extent  of  shelter  and  protection  to  the  inlet  which  the 
cape  already  so  signally  affords.     It  perpetuates,  therefore,  the  inlet. 

II.  Another  natural  cause  for  the  excellence  of  this  inlet  and 
harbor  arises  from  the  fact  that  the  harbor  is  in  effect  nothing  more 


17 

than  a  bay  or  basin  formed  by  the  sea  alone.     No  fresh  water  rivers 
from  the  interior  feed  it,  and  bring  down  a  deposit  to  meet  the  tidal 
influx  from  the  sea,  and  thus  contribute  to  fill  up  the  harbor,  or  cre- 
ate a  bar.     The  report  of  the  Coast  Survey  thus  speaks: — "The  cur- 
rent through  the  inlet  is  wholly  a  tidal   one,  and  the  back  waters  of 
'Bogue'  and  'Core'  sounds,  and  from  'Newport'  and  'North'  rivers, 
accumulate  no  more  on  the  flood  tide  than  escapes  on  the  ebb;  they 
are  also  of  such  extent,  and  so   located,  as  to  be  materially  affected 
by  the  tide,  being  filled  and  emptied  by  the  flood  and  ebb;  and  there 
are  no  fresh  water  feeders  to  either  of  the  rivers,  sufficient  to  at  all 
affect  their   currents."     In   fact,  what  are   called   "Newport"  and 
"North"  rivers  will  be  seen,  on  an  inspection  of  the  map,  to  be  no- 
thing more  than  an  extension  of  the   bay  that  makes   in  from  the 
ocean.     The  report  thus  proceeds:  "There  is  thus  a  strong  and  con- 
tinual tidal  current  through  the  inlet,  and  this  current  is  not  lost  or 
overpowered  by  a  heavy  swell  from  the  sea,  deadening  its  effect,  and 
throwing  back  the  sand  which  it  displaces,  in  shoals  and  bars;  but  it 
runs  with  the  eddy  current  of  the  cove  into  which  the  inlet  opens, 
and  the  same  action  and  effect  is   continued  that  the  current  out  of 
the  inlet  produces,  all  tending  to  preserve  and  deepen  the  channel." 
The  absence  of  any  large  body  of  water  to  the  westward  of  this 
harbor  and  inlet,  furnishes  also  a  natural  advantage  which  properly 
belongs  to  the  consideration  of  this  subject.     If  the  reader  will  look 
upon  the  map  of  the  State,   and  observe  any  of  the  inlets  on  the 
coast,   opening  from  the  large  sounds,  he  will  at  once  perceive  the 
superior  position  of  the  inlet  and  harbor  at  Beaufort.  Take  Ocracoke 
for  instance;  it  is  surrounded  by  water.  A  wind  from  the  west  affects 
it  as  injuriously  as  any  other.     Such  a  wind  operating  on  the  large 
body  of  water  inside  may  do  quite  as  much  injury  as  a  storm  from 
the  ocean  on  the  east.     For  what  must  be  the  effect  of  a  heavy  west- 
wardly  storm?     The  report  of  the  Coast  Survey  answers.     It  "pre- 
vents the  tide  from  flowing  through  the  inlets  from  the  ocean,  while 
the  water  and  surf  from  the  sound  heave  up  swashes  and  shoals  on 
the  inside."     And   this  explains  the  perpetual  changes  of  channel 
and  shoals  inside  of  the  bar  at  Ocracoke.     Now,  suppose  the  storm 
to  come  on  the  east,  from  the  sea,  the  effects  are  still  worse;  for,  as 
the  report  says,  "the  waters  of  the  sound  are  driven  back,  and  shoals 
are  thrown  up  and  formed  across  the  mouth  of  the  inlet,  without  any 
counter  influence  to  prevent  or  carry  them  away." 

No  wonder  that  with  such  facts  existing,  the  report  to  Congress, 
of  1851,  should  thus  speak: — "That  the  inlet  and  bar  of  Beaufort 
are  probably  the  best  on  our  whole  eastern  sea-coast,  south  of  the 
Chesapeake  Bay,  is,  I  believe,  a  matter  of  fact,  and  needs  no  com- 
ment." This  is  expressed  with  caution.  In  the  view  of  the  present 
writer,  more  might  safely  have  been  said:  in  his  opinion,  it  is  the 
best,  except  that  of  New  York,  on  our  whole  Atlantic  coast;  no  excep- 
tion is  made  of  the  harbors  on  the  Chesapeake,  because  there  is 
water  enough  at  Beaufort,  and  it  lies  immediately  on  the  sea.  Thirty- 
five  or  forty  minutes  takes  a  ship  in  or  out.  According  to  the  sail- 
ing directions  on  the  chart  of  the  coast  surveyors,  "it  can  be  entered 


18 

with  the  wind  from  any  point,  except  between  north  and  west;"  and! 
inside,  "it  affords  shelter  from  all  winds."  As  there  is  water  enough 
for  all  purposes,  these  circumstances  give  it  a  decided  advantage  over 
Norfolk,  for  instance,  which  is  situated  many  miles  from  the  sea. 
With  water  enough,  the  nearer  the  sea,  the  better  the  harbor;  be- 
cause (says  the  Coast  Survey)  "there  is  no  river  or.  inland  navigation 
to  delay  or  require  the  towing  of  large  vessels." 

By  placing  a  few  lights  and  buoys  (pointed  out  in  the  Coast  Sur-. 
vey  report  of  1851,)  we  are  informed  that  "with  such  guides,  a 
stranger  could  enter,  by  day  or  night,  without  fear." 

On  the  whole  then,  we  conclude  that  with  the  exception  of  New- 
York,  North  Carolina  has,  in  Beaufort,,  the  best  harbor  and  inlet  on 
our  whole  Atlantic  coast" 

Beaufort  Harbor. — Letter  from  the  Master  of  the  Ship  James 
Grey,  to  E.  R.  Stanly,  Esq.,  Newborn, — 1855. 

Beaufort,  5th  Dec,  1855. 

Mr.  E.  R,  Stanly?  Sir: — I  do  not  think  I  was  ever  so  much 
disappointed  as  I  was  in  the  Harbor  of  Beaufort.  In  chartering  in. 
England  for  this  place  I  would  not  take  the  cargo  unless  the  parties 
would  guarantee  16?}  feet  to  come  in  with;-  to  my  surprise,  on  cross- 
ing the  bar,  I  found  22  feet  of  water  after  a.  strong  westerly  wind 
[which  has  a  tendency  to  blow  the  water  out  of  the  river.]  The 
wind  hauling  N.  Westward,  the  pilot  was  compelled  to  beat  the  brig 
up  to  the  anchorage.  We  are  a  large  carrying  vessel,  and  it  is  diffi- 
cult to  beat  in  all  channels,  and  had  this  been  narrow  it  could  not 
have  been  accomplished.  The  harbor  is  very  convenient,  the  chan- 
nel deep,  and  there  is  no  difficulty  in  loading  to  20  feet — 19  certain. 
The  vessel  I  have  has  on  board  520  tons  of  Bailway  Iron,  and  her 
draft  is  15  feet  3  inches.  Had  I  supposed  the  depth  of  20  feet  or 
even  18  I  should  loaded  to  16  feet  9  inches. 

My  vessel  is  now  in  the  market,  and  if  parties  can  be  found  to 
load  her  from  this  port  to  Europe  I  will  fill  her  full  or  load  to  17 
feet,  and  I  know  there  will  be  no  difficulty  in  at  once  getting  her  on 
the  Pond. 

I  am,  dear  Sir,  yours  with  respect, 

CHAS.  H.  PLUMER, 
Master  of  the  James  Gray,  of  Newburyport,  Mass. 

These  papers  are  all  from  sources  of  unquestionable  truth,  and 
are  impartial  records  of  fact.  They  declare  the  superior  availability 
of  Beaufort  Harbor  as  a  harbor  for  commerce,  and  we  submit  them 
as  such  to  the  candid  judgment  of  all  without  further  comment. 

Leaving  for  a  moment  our  subject,  let  us  see  what  is  the  distance 
from  the  Coal  Fields  on  Deep  Biver,  the  acknowledged  great  feeder 
of  this  road,  to  Beaufort  Harbor  and  the  three  other  places  spoken 
of  as  competitors  to  it  for  the  business  on  Deep  River. 

From  the  Coal  Fields  to  Norfolk,  Va.,  by  the  lines  of 
Rail  Road  projected  and  built.  231  miles. 

From  the  Coal  Fields  to  Beaufort  Harbor  by  Fayette- 
ville,  projected  Roads,  156     s*> 


19 

From  the  Coal  Fields  to  Wilmington,  by  Kiver,  220     " 

From  the  Coal  Fields  to  Charleston,  by  Rail  Road, 
(North  East,)  by  Fayetteville,  290     " 

Thus  it  will  be  seen,  that  according  to  the  distances,  the  only  real 
competition  will  be  between  Wilmington  and  Beaufort.  Charleston 
is  making  strenuous  efforts  to  get  into  the  Coal  Region  of  Deep 
River,  but  besides  being  further  off  than  either  of  the  other  places, 
her  shipping  facilities  are  not  so  good  as  either  Beaufort  or  Norfolk; 
consequently  we  consider  her  behind  all  the  other  plaoes  mentioned 
for  successful  competition. 

It  has  been  stated  that  there  will  be  enough  work  for  both  road 
and  river  to  do,  and  that  both  are  needed  to  carry  off  the  great  quan- 
tity of  productions  in  the  Deep  River  country.  We  hope  this  may 
prove  true,  including  the  freight  besides  coal,  that  both  must  carry. 
But  what  we  are  going  to  prove  is,  that  the  road  to  Beaufort  will  do 
its  share  of  business  successfully  in  the  face  of  all  competition. 

We  hope  that  no  one  will  consider  us  as  opposed  to  Wilmington, 
or  as  opposed  to  the  Cape  Fear  and  Deep  River  Navigation  Compa- 
ny. When  we  make  a  comparison  of  facts  only,  as  between  the  two 
channels  of  communication  to  the  Ocean,  such  a  subject  is  open  to 
criticism  by  all.  It  is  one  of  vast  importance  to  N.  C,  and  on  their 
respective  merits  alone  will  the  road  and  the  river  be  sustained. 

Wilmington  has  ever  had  all  the  advantages  which  the  Cape  Fear 
River  could  give  her,  and  for  some  time  of  two  Rail  Roads.  She 
exports  to  foreign  countries  very  little  and  imports  less.  With  all 
the  advantages  she  now  has,  she  ships  almost  entirely  coastwise,  and 
Petersburg  and  Norfolk  in  Va.,  and  Charleston  in  S.  C,  are  more 
than  competitors  to  her  for  trade  on  lines  of  road  that  communicate 
with  Wilmington.  She  then  has  failed  to  be  an  importing  city — 
for  the  very  same  reason  that  the  Richmond  Board  of  Trade  say  the 
city  of  Richmond  labors  under  in  importing  from  foreign  countries. 
In  their  report  for  1856  the  Board  say: 

"A  large  amount  of  our  foreign  exports  is  forced  into  indirect 
channels  by  the  heavy  charges  imposed  on  shipping  by  the  pilotage. 
In  many  instances  a  cargo  is  shipped  coastwise  to  be  reladen  at  a 
northern  port,  in  order  to  escape  the  dues  of  pilotage  and  towage, 
and  other  expenses  which  would  be  incurred  on  a  vessel  bound  di- 
rect for  a  foreign  market.  The  low  freight  at  which  the  regular 
packet  lines  from  New  York  to  the  ports  of  Europe,  comprising  ships 
of  two  to  three  thousand  tons,  can  afford  to  take  their  cargoes,  in- 
duces our  importers  to  order  their  shipments  to  be  made  through 
them,  and  nearly  all  the  British,  French,  or  other  European  goods 
imported  by  our  merchants,  serve  to  swell  the  immense  trade  of  New 
York,  instead  of  appearing  upon  the  books  of  our  own  Custom  House. 
It  appears  also  that  these  importations  are  almost  entirely  entered, 
and  the  duties  on  them  paid,  in  New  York,  although  the  law  au- 
thorizes the  entry  and  payment  here,  with  the  privilege  of  transfer 
under  Custom  House  lock,  and  the  delay  in  payment  of  duties,  until 
the  goods  are  actually  sold  and  wanted  for  consumption." 


20 

It  is  160  miles  from  Richmond  to  sea;  and  though  "Wilmington  is 
only  about  40,  yet  Richmond  has  about  10  feet  of  water  up  the  ba- 
sin at  low  water,  her  shipping  is  not  exposed  to  the  sea  at  Hampton 
Roads,  as  is  that  of  Wilmington  on  the  main  bar,  where  there  is 
only  8  feet  of  water.  The  difference  therefore  is  in  favor  of  Rich- 
mond for  large  shipping,  yet  the  Board  of  Trade  at  Richmond  say 
they  find  it  cheaper  to  ship  first  to  New  York,  rather  than  ship  in 
vessels  of  small  tonnage  and  pay  expeuses  incurred  on  the  James 
River  of  lighterage,  towage  and  pilotage. 

No  such  difficulties  exist  at  Beaufort.  We  believe  therefore  that 
it  is  the  place,  and  the  only  place,  that  we  can  ever  do  a  foreign 
shipping  business  at;  and  the  only  place  that  can  successfully  com- 
pete with  the  towns  of  Virginia  and  South  Carolina  for  at  least  two- 
thirds  of  the  trade  of  N.  C.  that  now  goes  to  them.  We  therefore 
are  for  Beaufort.  We  do  not  love  Wilmington  less,  but  Beaufort 
more,  for  in  her  is  our  commercial  redemption. 

We  have  been  unable  to  obtain  a  copy  of  Prof.  Bache's  Report  of 
the  Hydrography  of  Cape  Fear  Harbor  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Trea- 
sury, 1853.  We  have,  however,  the  map  of  the  entrance  to  Cape 
Fear  before  us.     From  it  we  get  the  following  particulars: 

First,  from  Wilmington  to  sea,  across  the  main  bar,  it  is  about 
40  miles.  Secondly,  the  main  bar  has  only  8  feet  of  water  upon  it. 
Grant  that  the  dangers  of  the  sea  at  the  main  bar,  Cape  Fear  Har- 
bor, are  no  greater  than  at  Beaufort,  (which  any  one  who  knows  will 
not,)  yet  we  have  twice  the  depth  of  water  at  Beaufort  there  is  at 
Cape  Fear. 

The  tide  rises  about  the  same  at  both  places;  so  if  a  high  tide  gives 
Cape  Fear  main  bar  12  \  feet  of  water,  the  same  tide  gives  Beaufort 
main  bar  20 £  feet. 

A  vessel  drawing  20  feet  water,  of  2  to  3000  tons,  can  leave  her 
anchorage,  and  in  15  to  20  minutes  be  clear  at  sea  in  40  to  50  feet 
water,  and  only  about  3  miles  from  the  anchorage. 

Cape  Fear  Harbor — about  the  same  depth  of  water  can  be  carried 
up  the  river  to  Wilmington  as  over  the  bar.  It  is  30  miles  to  Smith- 
ville  and  about  10  more  to  sea — entire  distance  40  miles. 

Beaufort  Harbor — from  the  best  shipping  point  (the  Atlantic  Rail 
Road  Depot)  to  sea  is  about  5  miles,  through  nearly  a  straight  chan- 
nel, and  most  of  it  30  feet  of  water. 

Points  of  superiority  of  Beaufort  over  Cape  Fear  Harbor: 

It  is  less  dangerous  to  enter. 

It  is  deeper  and  safer. 

It  is  only  about  $  the  distance  to  sea  from  the  shipping  points; 

And  it  produces  the  following  effects  on  shipping: 

Insurance  is  higher  on  a  vessel  to  Wilmington  than  to  Beaufort. 

Pilotage  and  Towage  is  at  least  3  times  as  high. 

A  vessel  of  ten  times  as  much  tonnage  can  enter  Beaufort  as  Wil- 
mington; and,  as  a  consequence,  shipping  can  be  done  to  either  coast- 
wise  or  foreign  ports  cheaper  and  more  expeditious  from  Beaufort 
than  from  Wilmington. 


21 

Extract  from  a  letter  to  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Western  R. 

R.  Co.  for  the  delivery  of  Iron. 
D.  G.  McRae,  Esq., 

President  of  Fayetteville  and  Western  R.  Road: 
Dear  Sir:  *  *  *  *  After  speaking  of  the  kind  of  bars 
wanted,  Mr.  Welch  inquires  how  many  tons  will  be  wanted  and  where 
it  is  to  be  delivered  at,  and  says  a  perfect  fleet  of  vessels  will  be 
necessary  to  deliver  it  at  Wilmington.  I  have  had  to  charter  craft 
of  100  tons  burthen.  A  vessel  of  200  tons  has  to  lighter,  and  light- 
erage is  20  cts.  per  rail — an  enormous  charge.  I  am  now  filling  a 
contract  for  5000  tons,  and  such  is  the  difficulty  of  procuring  craft, 
(for  such  a  number  are  required,)  that  I  have  absolutely  to  charter 
a  vessel  to  Portsmouth,  Va.,  and  then  to  pay  the  expense  of  Rail 
Road  from  there  to  Weldon.  Such  is  the  difficulty,  that  I  would 
contract  to  deliver  iron  at  New  York  or  Charleston  at  $2  50  per  ton 
less  than  I  would  at  Wilmington;  for  I  really  do  not  see  how  direct 
shipments  can  be  made  to  that  port.  ***** 
Yours,  respectfully, 

JAMES  WELCH, 

Agent  for  R.  R.  Iron. 
Mr.  Welch  furnished  iron  for  the  Manchester,  the  Gaston,  and  N. 
C.  Roads. 

Having  briefly  noticed  the  comparative  condition  of  the  two  com- 
peting shipping  points  at  which  our  rival  lines  of  business  are  fixed, 
we  now  turn  to  the  lines  themselves;  and  first  to  the  road. 

The  main  stem  of  the  Central  Road  ought  to  start  at  the  best 
point  on  the  west  side  of  Beaufort  Harbor,  as  the  Charter  indicates. 
Some  suggestions  have  been  made  to  connect  it  with  the  Atlantic 
Road  about  12  miles  west  from  the  point.  However  well  this  might 
do  at  first,  we  are  certain  that  there  would  soon  be  too  much  business 
•on  the  road  for  such  a  connection  to  continue.  From  the  point  of 
starting  it  should  run  as  straight  a  line  as  is  practicable  to  Kenans- 
ville  in  Duplin  county,  then  to  Clinton  in  Sampson  county,  then  to 
Fayetteville,  and  then  to  a  point  on  the  Rutherford  Road  about  40* 
miles  west  of  Fayetteville.  Here  the  Charter  provides  for  a  connec- 
tion with  the  Rutherford  Road,  and  that  connection  was  anticipated 
■and  provided  for,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  following  Sections  in  each 
Charter: 

Wilmington,  Charlotte  and  Rutherford  R.  R. — Sec-.  50.  Be  it 
further  enacted,  That  any  other  R.  R.  Company,  incorporated  by 
the  General  Assembly  of  this  State,  shall  have  power  to  make  a 
connection  with  said  Wilmington,  Charlotte  and  Rutherford  Rail 
Road.  And  at  the  point  or  points  of  connection  shall  have  leave  to 
-erect  the  necessary  buildings  for  receiving  and  forwarding  produce,, 
merchandise  and  passengers,  to  be  transported  on  such  intersecting 
road  or  roads. 

Central  Rail  Road. — Sec.  2.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  said 
Company  be  and  they  are  hereby  authorised  to  construct  a  Rail  Road 


22 

from  such  point  on  the  waters  of  Beaufort  Harbor  (to  be  determined 
by  the  said  Company  after  the  same  shall  have  been  formed,)  to  the 
town  of  Fayetteville,  then  to  some  point  on  the  N.  C.  R.  Road,  or 
upon  the  Wilmington  and  Charlotte  R.  R.,  at  such  point  as  the 
Company  may  select  after  the  Company  is  formed. 

The  State  having  aided  to  build  the  Rutherford  Road,  and  indi- 
viduals secured  its  building,  we  should  strike  for  it  by  all  means. 
We  may  thus  secure  that  line  across  the  mountains.  At  any  rate 
all  must  perceive  the  advantage  the  Central  Road  will  have  over  all 
others  for  the  trade  of  the  counties  through  which  the  two  Roads 
will  pass.  While  the  Central  R,oad  will  not  cost  exceeding  §16,000 
per  mile  to  the  junction,  that  beyond  will  cost  a  much  larger  sum, 
and  other  parties  are  building  it;  while  we  of  the  Central  will  have 
the  benefit  of  a  connection  by  express  act  of  Assembly.  A  glance 
at  the  map  will  show  that  it  is  nearly  a  straight  line  by  the  Central 
Road  to  the  proposed  junction  and  to  Charlotte.  Thus  by  this  line 
will  be  opened  to  Beaufort  Harbor  the  rich  counties  of  Onslow,  Du- 
plin, Sampson,  Cumberland,  Richmond,  Anson,  Union,  Mecklen- 
burg, Gaston,  Cleaveland  and  Rutherford. 

The  following  article  from  "The  Rutherfordton  Eagle"  will  show 
the  productiveness  of  one  of  these  counties,  and  the  importance  of  a 
connection  with  i;  by  our  road. 

A  Productive  County,  Locked  Up. — The  Rutherfordton  Eagle, 
arguing  in  favor  of  the  Wilmington,  Charlotte  &  Rutherford  road, 
says  that,  if  the  road  were  built,  "the  Irish  potato  crop  of  Ruther- 
ford county  would  bring  into  its  limits,  annually,  $100,000  easily. 
Her  apple  crop  might  be  made  greater  than  her  present  wheat  crop. 
Her  white  headed  cabbages  alone  would  bring  her  in  5100,000,  to 
say  nothing  of  her  other  resources  in  the  grain,  cotton  and  tobacco 
line.  There  is  her  live  stock — her  beef,  her  mutton  and  pork,  and 
the  products  of  the  dairy;  many,  very  many  other  sources  of  wealth, 
that  the  railway  will  open  to  the  citizens  of  this  county,  that  are  now 
entirely  closed. 

A  single  day  will  transport,  at  a  slight  cost,  whole  crops,  and  the 
next  day  he  can  have  the  cash  in  his  pocket.  Now,  a  week  is  ex- 
hausted in  getting  only  ten  barrels  of  flour  to  market,  and  that  trip 
depends  on  business  at  home,  and  the  state  of  the  roads,  and  when 
he  gets  to  market  he  is  only  at  the  head  of  the  road,  instead  of  being 
at  the  ocean  market  where  the  nations  of  the  earth  send  their  ves- 
sels to  do  their  trading.  Wheat  is  now  at  SI  65  per  bushel,  even 
as  high  up  as  Charlotte.  Here  it  is  §1,  a  difference  of  §65  on  every 
hundred  bushels.  This  county,  this  year,  can  spare  100,000  bushels, 
and  therefore  loses,  on  wheat  alone,  §65,000  for  want  of  a  Rail 
Road." 

The  distance  from  Rutherford  to  Beaufort  is  not  much  further 
than  to  Wilmington,  and  is  much  nearer  than  to  Charleston.  And 
the  shipping  facilities  at  Beaufort  are  quite  superior  to  either.     It  is 


23 

^believed  that  goods  can  be  transported  from  the  junction  cheaper  ana 
shipped  by  this  Road  more  expeditiously,  than  by  any  other  route. 
For  these  reasons  we  should  have  no  fear  of  getting  a  large  share  of 
•the  business  of  that  section  of  country  and  of  connecting  the  roads. 

At  Fayeiteville  we  will  connect  with  the  Western  Rail  Road  now 
building  to  the  Coal  Fields.  The  interest  of  these  two  roads  are  sc 
identified,  that  although  they  are  building  under  separate 'Charters-. 
yet  every  facility  will  be  given  by  them  reciprocally.  W*j  wish  te 
see  them  soon  united  in  one  Company;  it  would  evidently  be  to  the 
Interest  of  both  to  unite. 

From  the  Coal  Fields  it  is  desirable  to  extend  two  branches  oi 
ihe  road.  One  to  Salisbury,  (where,  as  at  Charlotte,  the  State  ie 
aiding  to  build  a  road  west,)  and  also  a  branch  to  Abingdon,  Vir- 
ginia, through  either  Greensborough  or  Lexington.  A  glance  at 
the  accompanying  map  will  show  more  fully  the  position  of  these 
roads  and  branches,  as  well  as  their  relative  positions  te  other  roads 
now  built,  and  to  the  Cape  Fear  and  Deep  Rivers.  We  wish  parti- 
cularly to  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  Central  Road  will  have 
the  benefit  of  these  connections;  will  cost  much  less  money  than  any 
of  them,  while  it  occupies  the  space  between  the  sea  and  the  interior 
>to  and  from  which  all  merchandise  must  be  shipped. 

And  we  wish  the  further  fact  particularly  noticed,  that  the  State 
•is  aiding  to  build  a  part  of  two  great  lines  of  road  through  it  West; 
that  the  parts  of  the  roads  the  State  is  aiding  to  build  will  cost  a 
much  larger  sum  per  mile  than  that  left  for  individuals  to  build, 
while  it  must  be  conceded  that  under  any  circumstances  the  latter 
will  be  the  best  paying,  which  is  the  object  for  capitalists. 

But  notwithstanding  we  look  for  the  certain  extension  of  these 
roads  across  the  mountains  and  into  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi, 
yet  the  primary  object  for  building  them  now  is  for  the  accommo- 
dation of  the  counties  named  through  which  the  main  stem  will 
pass,  and  the  coal  interest.  Let  us  see  first  if  the  coal  is  there  in 
quantity  and  quality  sufficient  to  make  it  a  payiug  object,  and  then 
see  what  quantity  of  it  we  can  transport  over  our  road  per  annum, 
and  at  what  price. 

Extract  from  Professor  Emmons's  Report  on   the  Deep  Elver  Coal 

Fields — Executive   Document  No.  13, —  Quality  of   Coal,  pages 

130,  131  to  135. 

QUALITY  OF  THE  DEEP  RIVER  COAL. 

The  two  varieties  of  coal,  the  bituminous  and  semi-bituminous- 
passing  into  anthracite,  are  known  in  this  coalfield.  The  bituminous 
is  scarcely  equalled  for  fineness  and  excellency,  in  this  country,  and 
it  has  been  said  by  a  gentleman,  who  is  well  acquainted  with  Liver- 
pool coal,  that  it  will  burn  twice  as  long.  A  direct  comparison  has 
not  been  made,  to  my  knowledge,  but  that  the  assertion  has  much 
truth  in  it,  I  have  no  doubt. 

The  Deep  River  coal  is,  in  the  first  place,  quite  free  from  smut;  it 
does  not  soil  the  fingers,  but  in  a  trifling  degree.     It  burns  freely. 


24 

and  forms  a  cake;  or  it  undergoes  a  semi-fusion,  and  agglutinates^ 
and  forms  a  partially  impervious  hollow  cake,  within  which  com- 
bustion goes  on  for  a  long  time.  When  a  small  pile  of  it  is  made 
upon  the  ground,  it  may  be  ignited  by  a  match  and  a  few  dry  leaves 
or  sticks.  It  may  be  ignited  in  the  blaze  of  a  lamp  or  candle.  The 
coal  is,  therefore,  highly  combustible,  easily  ignited  and  burns  with 
a  bright  flame  like  lightwood,  for  a  long  time.  It  may  be  burnt 
in  the  common  fire-place,  and  it  is  not  a  little  strange,  that  gentle- 
men, who  have  used  it  for  many  years,  in  a  blacksmith's  forger 
should  not  have  used  it  in  their  parlors,  instead  of  green  black  oak. 

This  coal  is  adapted  to  all  the  purposes,  for  which  the  bituminous 
coals  are  specially  employed.  Thus,  for  the  manufacture  of  the  car- 
buretted  hydrogen,  for  lightning  streets  and  houses,  there  is  no  coal 
superior  to  it.  It  will  require  less  expense  for  furnishing  it;  be- 
cause, it  contains  so  little  sulphur,  from  which  sulphuretted  hydro- 
gen is  formed.  So,  also,  in  the  grate,  it  will  be  far  less  offensive,, 
for  the  same  reason.  But,  as  it  is  rich  in  bitumen,  it  will  furnish  a 
large  amount  of  gas,  and  that  which  is,  comparatively,  pure.  This 
advantage  is  one  of  great  importance.  It  should,  also,  be  stated, 
that  it  furnishes  an  excellent  cake,  which  may  be  used  for  manufac- 
turing purposes,  and  as  it  is  left  very  porous,  it  is  in  a  condition  to- 
absorb  a  large  quantity  of  the  solution  of  cyanide  of  potassium;  and 
hence,  is  well  adapted  to  the  work  of  reducing  the  metals.  It  is 
scarcely  necessary  to  add,  that  it  is  admirably  adapted  to  steamings, 
inasmuch  as  its  flame  is  free  and  durable.  For  forge  use,  it  is  not 
surpassed  by  any  coal  in  market;  and  for  parlor  grates,  it  is  both 
pleasant,  economical,  and  free  from  dirt.  If  a  chimney  has  a  poor 
draft,  it  is  liable  to  the  objection  common  to  all  coals  of  this  kind, 
— the  escape  of  soot  into  the  room. 

The  qualities  of  the  Deep  River  coal  are  of  that  character,  thenr 
which  will  give  it  the  highest  place  in  the  market.  The  localities 
which  have  been  best  explored,  and  where  coal  of  a  decided  character 
has  been  attained,  are  at  Hornesville  and  Farmville,  both  in  the  same 
neighborhood.  The  Taylor  mine,  the  Gulf  or  Haughton,  and  the  Mur- 
chison  mines,  all  furnish  a  bituminous  coal,  which  may  vary  in  some 
minor  points,  yet  is  quite  similar  as  a  whole.  The  Haughton  mine  has- 
been  used  the  longest.  It  was  known  in  the  revolution,  and  a  re- 
port made  to  Congress,  respecting  it,  is  still  extant.  Had  the  pro- 
positions or  views  been  carried  out,  which  were  expressed  in  that  re- 
port, we  can  scarcely  tell,  what  the  results  would  have  been,  not 
only  upon  the  population  of  Deep  River,  but  also,  upon  the  enter- 
prize  of  the  State.  It  must  be  noticed,  that  Deep  River  is  central.. 
and  in  the  interior  of  a  country,  abounding  in  iron;  that  it  is  navi- 
gable, by  aid  of  certain  improvements;  that  it  communicates  with: 
the  ocean,  and  finds  a  market  abroad,  for  a  surplus  of  the  products-' 
of  manufactures  and  agriculture;  that  a  use  of  the  natural  advan- 
tages, to  a  partial  extent  only,  makes  a  home  market,  But  the  time 
had  not  come,  for  improving  the  resources  of  this  district.  They 
are,  therefore,  reserved  entire  for  the  present,  and  they  cannot  be 
neglected  longer,  unless  a  suicidal  State  policy  is  pursued. 


25 

But  however  fine  and  excellent  a  coal  may  be,  it  is  necessary  that 
It  should  form  extensive  beds,  in  order  to  have  a  commercial  value. 

The  next  question,  then,  of  interest  to  the  community  is,  (for  the 
community  is  interested  as  much  as  the  owners,)  will  it  bear  mining, 
and  the  expenditure  of  the  necessary  capital,  to  take  it  to  market. 
To  answer  this  question,  it  is  necessary  to  make  some  calculations, 
by  which  we  may  form  some  just  view  of  its  quantity.  In  doing 
this,  we  may  venture  to  assume,  on  a  geological  basis,  that  the  coal 
seams,  which  outcrop  from  beneath  the  sandstones,  extend  beneath 
them,  and  for  what  appears  to  the  contrary,  the  slates,  with  their 
coal  beds,  are  coextensive  with  the  under  and  overlying  sandstones. 
This  formation  is  known  to  form  a  belt  of  rocks,  from  12  to  14  miles- 
wide.  The  line  of  outcrops  of  the  slates,  upon  which  coal  has  been 
raised,  is  about  20  miles.  But  the  line  of  outcrop  of  the  unexplored 
slate,  which  embraces  the  coal,  is  at  least  60  miles  within  the  State, 
on  a  line  running  south  of  west.  We  may  assume  the  following 
data,  viz:  that  the  coal  beds  extend  from  their  northern  outcrop, 
three  miles  beneath  the  sandstone;  which  is  about  one  third  their 
natural  extent;  and  that  the  line  of  outcrop,  upon  which  coal  is,  and 
will  be  found,  is  thirty  miles.  If  the  thickest  seam  of  coal  is  worked, 
which  has  a  thickness  of  6  feet,  exclusive  of  a  thin  band  of  slate,  it 
will  give  for  every  square  yard  of  surface,  two  square  yards  of  coal. 
A  square  acre  has  4,900  superficial  yards;  hence,  there  will  be  9,800 
square  yards  of  coal,  in  each  acre,  and  as  a  square  yard  of  coal  weighs 
a  ton,  there  will  be  for  every  acre,  9,800  tons  of  coal.  A  thousand 
acres  will  give  9,800,000  tons  of  coal,  or  a  square  mile,  6,272,000 
tons.  This  coal  field  is  known  to  extend  thirty  miles,  in  the  direc- 
tion of  outcrop,  and  to  be  workable,  for  a  breadth  of  three  miles.  We 
may  from  this  data,  calculate  how  much  accessible  coal  we  may  ex- 
pect to  find,  in  this  quite  limited  field.  If  the  field  covers  only  43 
square  miles,  the  lowest  estimate  to  be  taken,  we  may  calculate  its- 
value,  by  the  following  mode: 

If  one  hundred  tons  of  coal  are  taken  out  daily,  thirty  thousand 
tons  would  be  removed  annually,  reckoning  three  hundred  working 
days  to  the  year.  It  would,  at  this  rate,  require  over  three  hundred 
years,  to  remove  the  coal  from  a  thousand  acres,  or,  over  two  hun- 
dred years,  to  remove  that  which  underlies  a,  square  mile,  or,  eight 
thousand  six  hundred  years,  to  remove  the  coal  of  forty  three  square 
miles.  If  in  estimating  the  value  of  this  coal  field,  we  base  our  cab* 
culations  upon  time,  they  should  satisfy  us;  or  if  we  base  them  upon 
quantity,  they  will  warrant  the  investment  of  capital.  In  these  cal- 
culations, we  have  both  time  and  quantity,  and  the  State,  in  en- 
couraging improvements,  as  well  as  individuals,  may  look  forward 
with  confidence,  on  the  permanency  and  safety,  in  investments,  in 
this  kind  of  property.  The  wants  of  the  world  are  with  the  popu- 
lation— indeed,  they  keep  ahead  of  simple  increase  of  individuals. 
The  quantity  to  be  removed  annually  may  be  increased,  and  leave' 
the  time  sufficiently  long,  to  satisfy  the  investment  of  capital;  or 
the  time  may  be  increased,  by  diminishing  the  quantity,  and  still 
the  annual  profits  of  the  investment  should  satisfy  the  capitalists 


But  while  population  increases  at  a  rapid  rate,  the  resources  of  the 
forest  for  fuel  are  diminishing  at  a  greater  ratio,  than  the  simple  in^ 
crease  of  population;  therefore,  there  is  no  way  in  which  capital  can 
be  so  safely  invested,  as  in  coal  lands. 

If  the  foregoing  calculations  are  correct,  they  justify  the  work 
which  has  been  undertaken  to  improve  the  navigation  of  Deep  River. 
It  is  prudence,  to  be  cautious  in  schemes  of  this  kind,  but  in  this 
•case,  the  amount  of  property  beneath  the  surface  or  in  the  rocks, 
upon  this  river,  is  enormous — it  should  be  dug  out;  and  what  it  costs 
to  do  this,  will  be  turning  materials  and  labor  into  money.  If  the 
whole  enterprize  is  begun,  and  carried  on  in  a  proper  spirit,  every 
nook  and  corner  of  the  State,  from  Currituck  to  Buncombe,  will  feel 
an  invigorating  influence. 

But  the  calculation,  as  to  the  quantity  of  coal,  will  probably  far 
exceed,  than  fall  short  of  the  estimates.  In  the  first  place  only  a 
part  of  the  area  is  taken  into  the  calculation,  and  then,  in  assuming 
"the  thickness  of  the  principal  beds,  as  only  six  feet,  it  may  be  re- 
garded as  only  the  minimum  thickness.  It  will  rather  increase  than 
diminish;  this  view  of  the  matter  is  supported  by  observation.  For 
as  the  slopes  have  been  carried  along  the  dip,  there  has  been  a  per- 
ceptible increase  already.  It  is  also  to  be  considered,  that  at  the 
outcrop,  when  vegetable  matter  forming  the  coal  is  only  upon  the 
outer  vein,  it  should  be  twice  that  at  a  distance  from  the  outcrop; 
for  we  may  suppose,  that,  in  the  middle  only,  of  a  coal  basin,  do  we 
obtain  the  maximum  thickness.  Thus,  one  of  the  coal  seams  in  the 
Richmond  basin  is  forty  feet  thick.  The  Beep  River  beds,  not  having 
been  broken  up,  or  not  having  suffered  an  uplift  through  the  middle 
of  its  trough  or  basin,  exhibits  nowhere  near  the  surface,  an  outcrop 
of  coal,  except  upon  the  rim,  or  outer  edge  of  the  basin.  As  we 
penetrate  into  it,  we  have  grounds,  which  justify  the  view,  that  the 
seams  will  increase  steadily  in  thickness,  as  the  slope  penetrates  into 
the  basin,  towards  the  centre,  and  then  the  seams,  which  now  appear 
only  upon  the  outer  rim,  will  thicken,  and  perhaps  unite  and  form 
one  distinct  heavy  seam  towards  the  middle  of  the  basin  or  trough. 

The  foregoing  views  as  to  quantity  are  founded  upon  data  derived 
from  observation,  the  phenomena  of  coal  fields,  and  theory,  which  is 
well  sustained,  respecting  the  manner  in  which  successive  seams  of 
coal  have  been  formed. 

The  calculations  as  to  the  quantity  of  coal  in  the  Beep  River  coal 
field  are  based  upon  what  is  known,  and  without  reference  to  what 
we  may  possibly  find  by  exploration  hereafter.  These  calculations 
must  be  regarded  as  satisfactory,  and  such  as  will  justify  the  hopes 
•and  expectations  of  the  owners,  and  those  who  are  interested  in  the 
improvements  of  the  day. 

Thus  wrote  the  State  Geologist  in  1852,  after  making  a  most  tho- 
rough examination  of  the  Coal  Fields.  And  as  might  have  been 
expected,  money  was  invested  in  them;  companies  of  men  went  to 
•work  and  sunk  shafts  to  test  the  truth  of  the  report,  and  to  get  out 
•ooal  ready  for  transportation.     Many  proofs  similar  to  the  following 


Slight  be  given  of  their  success,  hut  it  being  most  to  the  point,  Wfi 
give  it  entire,  from  the  Fayetteville  Observer  of  the  14th  of  Feb'y 
1856: 

Important  Discovery  of  Coal. — We  have  the  great  satisfaction  of 
stating,  that  on  Friday  last,  the  operations  at  Egypt,  on  Deep  River, 
so  long  and  so  industriously  prosecuted  under  the  superintendence  of 
Mr.  McClane,  the  agent  of  the  Company,  resulted  in  reaching  a  seam 
of  exceedingly  rich  bituminous  Coal,  four  and  a  half  feet  thick,  of 
beautiful  quality.  It  was  reached  at  a  depth  of  a  little  over  400 
feet.  Below  this  seam  is  doubtless  another  and  thicker;  for  at  the 
outcrop,  a  mile  distant,  there  are  two  seams,  the  upper  one,  (cor- 
responding with  that  now  discovered  at  Egypt,)  being  about  2  feet 
thick,  whilst  the  under  seam  is  upwards  of  3  feet  thick. 

The  importance  of  this  discovery  may  be  judged  from  the  fact 
that  it  is  fully  a  mile,  and  across  the  river,  from  the  out-crop  at 
Farmersville,  conclusively  establishing  that  the  whole  intervening 
space,  (and  how  much  beyond  Egypt  is  not  yet  ascertained,)  is  filled 
with  this  rich  deposite.  This  is  the  point  to  which  Dr.  Mitchell  re- 
ferred, whilst  so  earnestly  arguing  against  the  extent  and  the  value 
of  these  coal  fields — admitting  that  if  coal  should  be  discovered  at 
Egypt  he  would  surrender  his  doubts.  Well,  coal  has-  been  discovered 
at  Egypt,  and  in  quantity  and  quality  to  satisfy  the  most  sanguine 
anticipations  of  the  proprietors,  and  of  the  friends  of  the  good  old 
North  State. 

We  have  been  kindly  furnished  with  handsome  specimens  of  this 
coal,  which  may  be  seen  at  this  office,  and  at  the  Rail  Road  office. 
It  burns  brilliantly.  A  ton  of  it  was  thrown  out  from  the  shaft  in 
a  few  minutes.  And  forthwith  Mr.  McClane  commenced  its  use  in- 
stead of  pine  wood  on  the  steam  engine  by  which  the  work  has  been 
operated."     Two  bushels  of  it  he  found  to  be  equal  to  a  cord  of  pine. 

This  Company  has  all  its  buildings,  machinery,  &c,  on  an  exten- 
sive scale,  ready  to  go  to  work;  and  we  understand  that  in  two 
months  from  this  time  they  could  ship  300  tons  a  day,  if  there  were 
means  of  transportation  provided.  That  is  the  object  now  to  be  ac- 
complished. And  to  accomplish  that  object  every  nerve  should  be 
strained.  The  Wilmington  Journal  says,  "It  will  probably  be  some- 
time in  the  summer,  say  May  or  June,  before  the  conveyance  of 
freight  on  the  improvements  of  the  Cape  Fear  and  Deep  Rivers  can 
be  calculated  upon  with  any  certainty."  We  cannot  hope  that  the 
Rail  Road  will  be  completed  by  May  or  June,  but  it  is  under  way, 
steadily  and  energetically,  and  it  only  needs  that  our  citizens  furnish 
the  means,  promptly  and  fully,  to  ensure  its  completion.  It  is  no 
experiment,  which  a  fresh  may  damage  or  destroy,  but  a  work  every 
stroke  upon  which  is  durable,  and  which,  persevered  in  faithfully,, 
must  result  successfully  within  a  reasonable  time.  Courage,  then, 
friends  of  our  Rail  Road!  The  prospect  is  brightenmg  before  you, 
and  every  consideration  bids  you  go  on. 

One  of  the  lines  of  the  Rail  Road  survey  r.uiis  within  200  feet  of 
the  mouth  of  the  shaft  sunk  by  the  Egypt  Company,  and  exactly  qu 


a  grade  with  it.  It  also  passes  through  the  coal  region  for  fifteen  or 
twenty  miles,  thus  touching  most  of  the  valuable  interests  in  that 
region.  These  facts  render  it  highly  probable  that  that  route  will 
be  finally  adopted,  as  it  certainly  will  be,  we  think,  if  the  owners  of 
the  mines  will  come  forward  and  give  "material  aid"  to  the  rail  road. 
Otherwise  the  Company  may  be  compelled,  for  want  of  funds,  to 
stop  at  the  first  point  at  which  they  can  reach  coal,  viz:  35  miles 
from  this  town,  and  7  miles  this  side  of  Deep  River. 

The  extent  of  the  Coal  Fields  is  developing  itself  gradually;  and 
it  is  more  and  more  apparent  that  there  is  enough  to  employ  for  cen- 
turies the  river  and  all  the  rail  roads  that  we  are  likely  ever  to  have. 
18  miles  above  Egypt,  near  Hancock's  Mills,  coal  crops  out  upwards 
of  6  feet  thick,  passing  a  mile  through  Mr.  Foushee's  plantation. 
Below  Egypt,  it  is  found  for  an  extent  of  2  miles.  In  this  direction 
it  is  found  8  miles  from  Egypt;  whilst  towards  Chapel  Hill,  within 
7  or  8  miles  of  that  place,  shale,  precisely  similar  to  ihat  of  Egypt, 
is  found,  affording  unmistakeable  evidence  of  the  existence  of  coal 
there.  Here  is  a  region  of  country  15  miles  wide  and  at  least  20 
miles  long,  in  which  it  is  known  to  exist.  This  is  equal  to  about 
300  square  miles  of  Coal  lands,  upon  which,  beyond  all  question, 
there  are  hundreds  of  millions  of  tons  of  coal.  Besides  all  which 
there  are  indications  of  the  existence  of  coal  as  far  South  as  the  Pee 
Dee.  Dr.  Johnson,  the  celebrated  Geologist,  who  was  employed  by 
Government  to  examine  all  the  coal  fields  in  the  United  States,  ex- 
pressed the  opinion,  in  his  official  Report,  that  all  the  plain  lying 
between  the  Deep  and  Pee  Dee  rivers,  is  underlaid  with  coal. 

There  is  abundance  of  Anthracite  coal  in  one  part  of  the  coal 
region — a  large  seam  of  it  outcropping.  But  it  is  too  sulphurous  to 
burn  well.  We  suppose,  however,  that  this  is  only  the  case  as  to 
the  surface  coal,  and  that  as  the  seam  shall  be  worked  at  a  con- 
siderable distance  below  the  surface,  it  will  present  the  usual  valu- 
able characteristics  of  that  description  of  coal. 

This  Company  have  means  now  ready  to  take  out  daily  about  400 
tons  of  coal. 

Being  now  satisfied  of  the  quantity  and  quality  of  coal,  we  come 
to  the  question,  what  quantity  can  our  road  transport  per  year  and 
at  what  price?  what  will  it  pay?  , 

The  greatest  number  of  trains  of  cars  that  can  pass  over  a  road 
with  safety  is  one  train  every  three  hours.  This  would  give  eight 
trains  per  day  of  24  hours;  but  this  would  require  a  large  amount  of 
rolling  stock,  and  the  road  would  have  to  be  managed  with  very 
great  caution.  For  the  basis  of  our  calculation  as  to  the  number  of 
tons  of  coal  that  could  be  carried  over  this  road  per  day  with  ease, 
we  will  take  half  the  number.  This  is  a  safe  basis  and  a  certain 
one.  Four  trains  of  coal  cars  ccn  pass  over  this  road  per  day,  and 
leave  time  for  a  passenger  and  way  freight  besides;  or  in  other  words, 
taking  300  working  days  in  the  year,  1200  trains  of  cars  can  carry 
each  100  tons  of  coal  from  the  mines  to  Beaufort  Harbor  in  a  year, 
and  the  road  only  be  worked  to  half  its  capacity.     Making  the  enor- 


29 

mous  amount  of  1,200,000  tons  of  coal  alone,  of  the  best  quality, 
commanding  the  best  price,  found  by  experiment  to  be  worth  more 
than  any  other  coal  so  near  the  sea;  put  where  vessels  of  all  natious, 
large  and  small,  can  get  it  safer  and  cheaper  than  at  any  other  place 
on  the  Atlantic  coast  except  N.  York.  Think  of  that.  1,200,000 
tons  of  coal  annually  going  over  this  road,  besides  passengers  and 
other  freights,  which  must  go  on  it  because  the  road  goes  through  a 
country  producing  corn,  pork,  lumber,  naval  stores,  and  many  other 
things  in  great  abundance;  besides  the  back  freight, — for  who  can 
doubt  that  the  merchants  and  farmers  of  the  interior  will  get  a  large 
part  of  their  supplies  by  this  road? 

The  distance  from  Fayetteville  to  Beaufort  Harbor  is  put  down  at 
118  miles,  and  from  Fayetteville  to  the  Coal  Mines  is  about  38  miles 
more;  making  the  entire  distance  by  this  route  150  miles.  We  take 
it  that  though  the  road  west  of  Fayetteville  is  building  under  ano- 
ther charter,  that  a  reciprocal  arrangement  will  be  made  between 
them  for  transportation,  aud  shall  make  our  figures  accordingly.  The 
town  of  Fayetteville  is  vitally  interested  in  the  Central  Road  as  well 
as  the  Western  for  her  commercial  prosperity,  and  we  have  no  doubt 
she  will  make  herself  so  as  a  stockholder. 

1,200,000  tons  of  coal,  at  1  cent  per .  ton  per  mile 
for  15G  miles,  51,872,000 

All  other  freights,  150,000 

Passengers,  60,000 

Mail,  124,800 


Gross  revenue  per  annum,  §2,206,800 

EXPENSES   PER  ANNUM: 

Cost  of  transporting  1,200,000  tons  of  coal  at  40  cts. 
per  hundred  tons  per  mile,  making  §62  40  cost  of  round 
trip  of  156  miles  per  100  tons  of  coal,  §748,800 

Wood  and  water  stations,  9,600 

Repairs  of  road,  say  50,000 

Cost  of  carrying  all  other  freights,  say  150,000  tons 
at  40  cents  per  100  tons  per  mile,  average  distance  125 
miles,  §50  per  hundred  tons,  75,000 

Expenses  of  Shop — engines,  cars,  material,  agents 
and  workmen,  50,000 

Add  10  per  cent,  for  contingencies,  93,340 


Aggregate  expenses,  ordinary  and  extraordinary,      §1,026,740 
Leaving  a  net  revenue  of  §1,180,060 

Think  of  that,  will  you,  you  who  have  money  and  labor  you  wish 
to  invest  for  rich  returns,  besides  doing  your  good  old  State  a  last- 
ing good.  A  gross  revenue  of  §2,206,800,  and  a  net  revenue  of 
§1,180,061,  on  a  capital  stock  of  §2,488,000,  annually. 

Are  our  figures  too  high  or  our  statements  not  true,  then  we  call 
on  all  who  doubt  them  to  show  the  reverse  and  prove  and  correct 
them. 

The  cost  of  the  Atlantic  Rail  Road,  terminating  at  the  same  point, 


on  Beaufort  Harbor,,  fully  equipped  and  made  a  first  class  road  m 
all  respects,  is  a  fraction  over  116,000  per  mile.  The  bridging  on 
this  road  is  an  extraordinary  item  in  its  construction.  We  believe 
the  Central,  built  a  first  class  road,  will  not  cost  exceeding  §14,000 
per  mile. 

To  make  our  figures  certain,  however,  we  will  put  it  at  $16,000 
per  mile,  for  118  miles  to  Fayetteville,  is  $1,888,000;  from  Fayette- 
ville  to  Goal  Fields,  37  miles  more,  at  about  $600,000,  makes  $2,- 
488,000 — the  entire  cost  of  the  road.  From  which  we  have  stated 
that  an  annual  net  revenue  will  be  derived  of  $1,180,060,  equal  to 
a  dividend  of  at  least  25  per  cent,  per  annum.  We  believe  the 
stock  of  this  road  will  pay  the  best  dividend  of  any  road  in  the  U. 
States.  And  we  believe  there  is  nothing  the  people  on  this  line  of 
road  can  so  safely  and  so  profitably,  and  with  so  much  advantage  to 
themselves,  invest  their  money  and  labor  in,  as  this  road.  And  let's 
go  to  the  proof  of  it. 

In  Hunt's  Merchant's  Magazine  for  July  last  are  tables  taken 
from  the  Railway  Times,  prepared  by  one  of  the  most  experienced 
managers  in  the  country;  and  from  these  tables  it  appears  that  the 
cost  of  running  a  full  train  of  cars  is  33  cents  per  mile,  or  about 
$52  for  156  miles,  the  length  of  our  road,  which  would  make  it  cost 
for  transporting  1,200,000  tons  of  coal  $624,000.  We  have  put  it 
at  40  cents  per  mile  in  our  table,  and  $62  40  for  round  trip,  and 
$744,480  as  the  amount  of  cost.  Now  if  we  admit  that  it  does  cost 
more  (which  we  do  not)  to  run  a  train  of  cars  in  N.  O.  than  it  does 
in  Maryland,  still  we  have  provided  in  our  estimate  of  cost  for  an 
excess  of  $120,480  above  what  it  cost  on  other  roads.  Are  we  then 
not  safe  in  our  calculation  on  this  point? 

The  Pennsylvania  and  Maryland  Coal  roads,  built  through  moun- 
tains and  across  ravines  of  great  height  and  depth,  at  three  times 
the  cost  of  the  Central  Road  at  least,  and  having  necessarily  heavy 
grades,  carry  100  tons  of  coal  to  each  engine,  at  1  cent  per  ton  per 
mile.  Although  the  cars  go  back  empty  on  the  Reading  Road,  the 
same  paper  says  that  the  actual  cost  of  the  round  trip  of  200  miles 
on  the  Reading  Road  is  but  38  cents  per  ton,  or  that  it  cost  the 
Railroad  Company  only  $38  for  what  they  get  $200  for  doing. 

Now  mark  the  contrast.  The  Central  Road  will  not  cost  exceed- 
ing $16,000  per  mile.  The  Reading  Road,  by  the  table  of  North- 
ern Roads,  cost  $43,167  80.  The  Central  Road  will  have  a  gradual 
descent  all  the  way  from  the  mines  to  the  sea.  It  can  be  built 
nearly  straight,  and  can  be  made  not  only  one  of  the  easiest  for  an 
engine  to  draw  a  load  over,  but  the  safest  at  a  great  speed.  If,  then, 
Northern  coal  roads  carry  coal  at  1  cent  per  ton  per  mile,  may  we 
not  safely  calculate  to  carry  it  at  the  same  price?  If  they  go  200 
miles  for  $38,  can  we  not  go  156  for  $62  40?  If  they  carry  a  hun- 
dred tons  at  a  load,  can  we  not  do  it  too?  And  if  trains  of  cars  can 
safely  be  run  over  a  road  every  three  hours,  may  we  not  go  with  one 
train  every  six  hours?     Such  are  our  figures. 

As  a  general  rule,  when  the  income  of  a  road  is  100  per  cent, 
greater  than  its  expenses,  it  is  a  paying  road,  it  is  also  true  that  the 


31 

expenses  of  a  road  are  diminished  in  proportion  to.  its  business,  all 
this  is  in  favor  of  our  figures. 

Some  of  the  Rail  Roads  in  the  State  of  Georgia  the  past  year  have- 
paid  15  per  cent,  dividends,  the  largest  dividends  we  remember  to. 
have  seen  declared  by  Roads  *in  any  State  in  the  country,  there  may 
be  others  that  have  paid  more,  we  have  not  seen  it  noticed.  It  shows, 
that  roads  in  the  South  without  coal  have  paid  a  handsome  income. 

It  is  fair  to  put  all  other  freights  on  this  road  besides  coal  at  the 
value  of  $100,000,  no  definite  data  can  be  fised  because  there  is  now 
no  parallel  line  of  trade,  the  nearest  approach  to  it  is  the  freight  list 
of  boat  owners  on  the  Cape  Fear  for  the  year  1854,  which  I  believe- 
was  about  §110,000  in  amount,  there  was  no  down  coal  on  freight 
in  this  list. 

We  have  fixed  the  number  of  passengers  that  will  go  over  this 
road  per  day  at  20  each  way,  at  $5  for  the  entire  distance,  which 
makes  §60,000  per  annum;  both  this  item  and  that  of  other  freights. 
are  supposition,  but  it  is  not  probable  that  they  will  fall  below  that 
estimate,  we  may  remark  they  will  most  probably  exceed  it,  that  as 
this  road  progresses  as  it  certainly  will  westwardly,  till  it  connects 
with  some  of  the  great  lines  now  being  built  across  the  mountains 
into  Tennessee,  it  must  be   a  great  line  of  travel  from  east  to  west. 

The  item  for  carrying  the  mail  like  that  of  the  coal,  and  the  two- 
most  certain  in  our  list,  may  be  fixed  on  more  substantial  data  than 
supposition.  The  United  States  Government  are  now,  we  believe^, 
paying  §80  per  mile  for  conveying  the  mail  on  the  N.  C.  road,  it  is 
certainly  nothing  but  fair  that  this  road  for  carrying  the  mail  should 
receive  as  much  as  other  roads  in  the  State  and  the  country.  The 
156  miles  at  §80  per  mile,  makes  up  our  items  of  regular  business. 
for  the  Road.  And  is  it  not  enough  to  satisfy  the  friends  of  the- 
road,  that  no  better  and  safer  investment  can  be  made.  We  invite 
the  special  attention  of  capitalists  and  persons  who  wish  to  take  stock 
in  the  Central  R.  R.  to  our  facts  and  figures,  and  see  if  they  do  not 
prove  that  at  least  it  will  be  a  paying  road. 

We  now  turn  to  the  line  of  competition  to  this  road,  which  it  is 
supposed  will  soon  be  ready  for  use,  and  remark,  first,  that  like  the 
line  of  road,  the  river  is  improved  by  two  companies,  that  part  from 
Fayetteville  to  Wilmington  by  the  Cape  Fear  Navigation  Company, 
from  Fayetteville  to  Hancock's  Mills  on  Deep  River  by  the  Caps 
Fear  and  Deep  River  Navigation  Co. 

From  Wilmington  to  Fayetteville  120-  miles,  the  Cape  Fear  is 
kept  navigable  for  about  10  months  of  the  year  on  an  average  for 
light  draft  steamers,  and  is  good  navigation  in  all  respects,  safe  and 
easy  for  boats  to  pass.  Toils  are  collected  on  it  by  the  company, 
amounting  we  believe  to  about  20  per  cent,  on  the  freight  bills. 

From   Fayetteville  to  Hancock's   Mills  the  Cape  Fear  and  D.  N. 

*  Note. — Since  writing  this  article  we  see  it  stated  by  the  Rail  Road  Re- 
cord, that  the  Stock  of  the  Reading  Road  is  held  among  the  most  valuable. 
And  by  the  sales  of  stocks  and  bonds  in  New  York,  that  even  the  bonds  of 
this  company  are  selling  for  more  than  Virginia  State  Bonds.. 


Co.  have  beeil  working  about  6  years  to  rffake  slack  water  naviga-- 
tion,  and  have  expended  on  it  about  $600,000,  it  will  probably  cost 
when  finished  about  $700,000,  and  the  distanee  is  about  100  miles 
more,  making  the  entire  distance  by  this  line  from  Wilmington  220 
miles,  the  total  amount  expended  on  this  220  miles  to  improve  the 
line  and  keep  it  so,  has  not  been  ascertained,  but  we  wish  the  reader 
to  keep  in  mind,  that  tolls  are  charged  on  one  part  and  must  be  on 
the  other  also  when  finished,  or  the  work  cannot  be  kept  up,  and 
that  in  making  a  comparison  of  shipping  by  either  line,  it  must  be 
taken  in  the  account  that  the  river  is  made  passable  with  money,  as? 
well  as  the  road  is  built  with  money.  That  we  are  not  to  assume  that 
&  road  is  built  to  carry  trade  along  the  banks  of  a  river  220  miles,, 
saade  navigable  by  the  work  of  Nature  the  whole  distance,  and  both 
going  to  the  same  place.  That  water  navigation  under  all  circum- 
stances is  cheaper  than  rail  road  inland. 

Nearly  all  the  products  of  the  mines,  coal,  copper,  &c,  and  of  the 
forest,  turpentine,  lumber  and  tar,  and  flour,  cotton  and  manufac- 
tured goods,  centered  at  Fayetteville  and  west  of  Fayetteville  on  this 
Hine  of  road,  will  be  shipped  out  of  the  State,  to  coastwise  aad 
foreign  portsj  very  little  of  them  will  be  used  in  N.  C. 

We  have  no  estimate  of  what  the  river  line  can  transport  per 
annum  nor  at  what  price.  But  grant  that  it  can  be  kept  navigable 
nine-tenths  of  the  year  which  we  believe  is  the  outside,  it  will  re- 
quire as  long  time  to  make  a  trip  to  Wilmington  by  boats,  as  it  will 
to  make  three  trips  to  Beaufort  by  cars. 

A  lumber  maker  on  the  Cape  Fear  River,  who  has  now  to  carry 
his  rafts  through  three  locks,  says  that  it  costs  him  $1  50  per  thou- 
sand feet  to  raft  lumber  to  Wilmington;  he  has  not  yet  paid  tolls. 
Now  if  it  is  worth  §>5  per  M  to  freight  lumber  to  New  York  from 
Wilmington,  and  $3  50  from  Beaufort,  does  it  not  follow  that  lum- 
ber will  be  worth  more  at  Beaufort  than  at  Wilmington.  Add  the 
tolls  on  the  river  then  to  the  difference  in  its  price  at  Beaufort,  and 
the  cost  of  rafting  it  to  Wilmington,  and  my  firm  belief  is  that  it 
will  pay  the  producer  of  even  lumber,  more  to  ship  by  the  road  to 
Beaufort. 

The  average  price  paid  now  for  conveying  timber  on  the  Manches- 
ter R.  R.  is  we  are  informed,  about  83  per  M  feet,  distance  we  are 
not  informed.  But  it  will  compare  favorably  with  the  cost  of  raft- 
ing it  to  Wilmington  by  the  rivers  going  there. 

The  Wilmington  and  Welclon  rail  road  carry  cotton  161  miles  for 
80  cents  per  bale.  And  the  boat  owners  on  the  Cape  Fear,  below 
Fayetteville  convey  it  120  miles  for  65  cents  per  bale,  making  a 
difference  of  5  J  cents  in  favor  of  the  road.  If  we  had  room  to  pub- 
lish the  tables  of  freight  on  the  Cape  Fear  and  on  the  Weldon  road 
without  making  our  article  too  long  we  would  do  it  entire.  They 
will  show  that  we  have  not  taken  an  isolated  item,  the  whole  list  is 
favorable  to  the  road. 

Who  in  any  country  now  thinks  of  canals,  as  a  means  of  inland 
transportation,  where  rail  roads  can  be  built.  And  what  is  river 
improvement  by  locks  and  dams  but  a  canal,  with  more  contin- 
gencies. 


33 

Then  we  assert  that  any  article  can  be  shipped  from  Fayetteville, 
or  from  west  of  Fayetteville,  through  Beaufort  to  coastwise  or  foreign 
ports,  cheaper  and  more  expeditiously,  than  by  the  river  and  by 
Wilmington.  We  have  to  go  by  the  road  from  the  coal  fields  161 
miles  to  clear  the  main  bar  at  Beaufort  and  be  at  sea,  while  by  the 
river,  it  is  to  Wilmington  220  miles,  to  sea  across  the  main  bar  40 
more,  making  260  miles.  Grant  then  that  water  navigation  is  cheaper 
than  rail  road,  mile  for  mile,  would  it  not  require  to  be  nearly  twice 
as  cheap  here  to  be  even  with  the  road — for  it  is  about  100  miles 
further  to  sea. 

Then  we  assert,  secondly,  that  by  the  Central  Road  inland,  the 
difference  in  the  distance,  in  the  insurance,  in  the  pilotage  and  tow- 
age, in  the  time,  (a  ton  of  coal  can  be  delivered  from  the  mines  in 
New  York  by  the  road  before  it  can  get  to  sea  by  the  river,)  and  in 
the  ease  and  safety  a  vessel  can  enter  and  leave  Beaufort  Harbor, 
will  make  the  Beaufort  route  the  cheapest,  the  safest,  and  most  ex- 
peditious; all  the  products  we  have  enumerated  or  spoken  of  can  go 
out  of  the  State,  or  tl  at  importations  can  be  made  through,  for  the 
interior  of  N.  0. 

COMPARATIVE   WORK   ON   ROADS   AND    CANALS   IN   THE   NORTH. 

"  Ccal  on  Rail  Roads  and  Canals. — During  the  last  year,  664,304 
tons  of  coal  were  transported  from  the  Cumberland  coal  region  of 
Maryland,  of  which  467,697  tons  were  by  rail  road,  and  195,454  by 
canal. 

From  the  Pennsylvania  coal  region,  the  enormous  quantity  of 
6,626,288  tons  were  sent  to  market  during  the  year  1855.  The 
following  statement  will  show  the  quantity  for  ten  years  past: — ■ 


1846  2,343,990 

1847  2,982,808 

1848  3,089,238 

1849  3,242,866 

1850  3,332,641 


1851  4,418,515 

1852  4,999,471 

1853  5,195,151 

1854  5',847,308 

1855  6,626,288 


This  is  an  encouraging  statement  to  the  friends  of  our  rail  road  to 
the  Chatham  Coal  Fields.  Five-sevenths  of  the  Maryland  coal  has 
gone  to  market  over  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  rail  road,  a  distance  of 
about  175  miles,  though  side  by  side  is  the  competition  of  a  noble 
Canal,  the  most  expensively  constructed,  for  its  length,  of  any  Canal 
in  the  country. 

With  this  fact  before  them,  is  it  not  passing  strange  that  the  pro- 
prietors of  the  Deep  Biver  coal  fields  continue  to  stand  aloof  from 
the  rail  road,  leaving  the  people  of  Fayetteville  to  struggle  along  with 
a  great  work,  the  completion  of  which  must  so  vastly  increase  the 
value  of  the  Deep  Biver  property?     We  cannot  account  for  it. 

To  the  actual  stockholders  in  the  Western  rail  road,  this  large  rail 
transportation  in  Maryland  is  highly  encouraging.  If  the  Baltimore 
and  Ohio  rail  road  can,  in  addition  to  its  other  immense  business, 
transport  nearly  half  a  million  of  tons  of  coal,  why  may  not  our  road 
carry  as  much?  And  to  do  that,  at  say  a  dollar  a  ton,  would  furnish 
o 


34 


an  annual  gross  revenue  equal  to  half  the  cost  of  the  whole  road  and 
all  its  outfit.  The  expenses  of  rail  roads  are  usually  about  half  of 
the  gross  receipts.  We  do  not  mean  to  encourage  an  idea  that  the 
road  will  yield  a  net  revenue  of  25  psr  cent,  to  the  stockholders. 
We  do  not  believe  it  will.  But  we  do  believe,  that,  reasoning  from 
results  elsewhere,  we  may  calculate  on  a  reasonably  profitable  busi- 
ness to  the  stockholder,  and  an  incalculably  advantageous  one  to  the 
proprietors  of  the  coal  and  to  the  town, — to  say  nothing  of  the  State." 

Average  cost  per  mile  of  Rail  Roads  in  the  following  States: 


Maine, 

New  Hampshire, 

Vermont, 

Massachusetts, 

Connecticut, 

Rhode  Island, 

New  York, 

Pennsylvania, 

New  Jersey, 

Indiana, 


$33,608  89 

30,978  30 

43,167  80 

45,760  07 

39,536  08 

52,289  60 

43,505  43 

43,140  42 

31,670  50 

20,822  60 


Illinois, 

Ohio, 

Mississippi, 

Tennessee, 

Virginia, 

South  Carolina, 

Georgia, 

Alabama, 

North  Carolina, 


$20,839  77 

22,622  02 

18,991  60 

20,186  80 

19,722  07 

19,432  21 

18,155  70 

18,037  10 

17,971  61 


It  will  be  seen  by  the  above  Table  that  the  average  cost  of  Rail 
Roads  in  N.  C.  is  less  than  in  any  other  State;  but  it  may  be  re- 
marked that  N.  C.  has  not  yet  tunnelled  her  mountains  nor  rolled 
down  the  valleys  of  the  Ohio  and  Tennessee.  My  object  in  present- 
ing the  table  is  to  show  that  our  Central  Road  will  cost  less  than  the 
average  roads  in  N.  C,  and  to  show  what  other  States  have  expend- 
ed to  attain  ends  and  reach  objects  of  less  value  and  importance. 
The  State  of  Massachusetts  has  built  1205  miles  of  rail  road  at  a 
cost  of  $57,200,000,  through  sections  of  country  that  do  not  com- 
pare with  N.  C.  in  even  theproductions  of  her  soil.  With  a  popula- 
tion of  1,000,000  inhabitants,  Massachusetts,  according  to  the  cen- 
sus returns,  raised  only  about  1-I0th  as  much  wheat,  corn,  oats,  po- 
tatoes, horses,  cattle  and  hogs  as  N.  C;  she  has  no  mines  of  coal, 
copper,  iron  and  gold;  yet  she  has  spent  in  building  rail  roads  $7  to 
every  one  spent  by  N.  C. 

With  such  facts  before  us  shall  we  doubt  the  raising  a  sufficient 
sum  to  secure  our  charter  and  to  build  our  road?  I  will  not.  We 
can  build  it:  we  must  build  it.  I  do  not  mean  that  we  must  go  to 
work  on  it  all  at  the  same  time,  but  that  we  shall  go  to  work  on  it 
at  the  nearest  connexion  we  can  make  to  Beaufort  Harbor  by  water, 
so  that  it  can  be  used  as  fast  as  it  is  built.  That  point  is  on  the 
west  side  of  White  Oak  River  in  Onslow  county.  By  that  River 
and  Bogue  Sound  there  is  good  Steam  Boat  navigation  to  Beaufort 
Harbor.     We  will  have  the  following  advantages  by  beginning  there: 

First.  We  will  save  building  20  to  30  miles  of  road,  or  all  between 
that  river  and  Beaufort  Harbor,  at  first,  and  thus  save  about  $200,- 
000  till  the  road  is  built  to  Fayetteville. 

All  the  road  built  west  of  White  Oak  River,  being  in  a  rich  pro- 
ductive country,  will  be  used  as  fast  as  built,  and  can  be  made  to 
pay  part  of  its  expenses. 


35 

Stockholders  in  Onslow  county  -will  have  better  means  of  working 
out  their  stock,  and  the  advantage  of  a  connection  with  Beaufort 
Harbor  to  ship  to,  much  sooner  than  if  the  road  were  commenced  at 
Beaufort  Harbor. 

Having  water  communication,  we  ought  certainly  to  use  it,  and 
apply  all  the  capital  stock  to  building  the  road  till  it  gets  to  Fay- 
etteville  and  the  Coal  Fields. 

Whatever  amount  of  stock  may  be  secured,  should  be  applied  to 
that  part  of  the  road  that  will  soonest  take  trade  to  Carolina  City. 
While  it  will  in  that  way  make  returns  to  the  K.  R.  Co.,  it  will  on 
the  other  hand  increase  the  business,  the  population  and  the  wealth 
of  that  place.  All  that  is  added  to  Carolina  City  in  that  way  may 
be  taken  as  so  many  available  means  for  building  the  road. 

One  hundred  thousand  dollars  secures  the  Charter.  Let  that  be 
done  at  any  rate,  and  as  much  stock  secured  besides  as  can  be  got. 
Let  the  road  be  begun  as  we  have  suggested,  and  as  it  goes  on  it  will 
find  the  means  for  being  pushed  by  its  friends  behind  and  pulled  by 
those  before,  till  it  shall  pass  from  the  sea  to  the  mountains. 

We  wish  those  who  expect  to  subscribe  to  this  road  to  remember, 
that  they  will  not  be  called  upon  for  the  whole  amount  of  their  stock 
at  one  time,  but  in  instalments;  and  that  but  little  can  be  expended 
on  the  road  for  a  year  at  least — only  a  sufficient  amount  to  survey 
the  road.  And  that  labor  and  material  are  abundant,  if  money  is 
scarce.  We  believe  that  now  is  a  better  time  to  commence  the  work 
than  if  the  country  was  flooded  with  money;  we  will  use  more  econ- 
omy, go  on  with  more  caution,  and  in  the  end  make  the  road  cost 
less, — while  we  hope  matters  will  get  better  for  money. 

From  the  Washington  (Z>.  0.)  Star,  April  5,  1856. 
The  demand  for  coin  for  shipment  is  moderate.  This  indicates  a 
turn  in  the  specie  tide.  Peace  in  Europe  is  now  certain.  The  treaty 
is  understood  to  have  been  signed  on  the  13th  of  March.  The  war 
expenditures  having  ceased,  the  drain  of  coin  from  London  and  Paris 
to  the  East  will  be  discontinued.  This  will  release  large  amounts  of 
capital,  which  will  revert  for  investment  to  the  United  States,  cre- 
ating a  new  demand  for  American  stocks,  reducing  the  rate  of  ex- 
change, and  stopping  the  outward  shipments  of  treasure.  The  sup- 
ply of  money,  therefore,  must  soon  become  adequate  to  the  wants  of 
business. 

We  leave  to  those  as  deeply  interested  as  we  are,  to  say  and  act 
for  themselves  in  the  matter  of  stock  to  this  road,  remarking,  that 
individuals,  towns,  counties,  and  companies  can  subscribe  to  it.  The 
charter  provides  for  raising  $400,000  in  bonds  of  the  Company,  but 
the  road  must  be  considerably  under  way  before  the  bonds  could  be 
used  to  profit. 

The  county  of  Carteret  subscribed  to  the  Atlantic  R.  R.  $50,000, 
the  City  Co.  $25,000,  other  parties  in  Carteret  $75,000, — making 
$150,000.  We  believe  the  Central  R.  R.  will  be  worth  to  all  the 
above  parties  twice  as  much  as  the  Atlantic.  And  may  we  not  sug- 
gest to  thoBe  parties  the  importance  of  transferring  the  stocks  held 


36 

by  them  in  that  road  to  the  Central,  if  they  do  not  prefer  to  make 
subscriptions  payable  in  cash.  It  is  now  certain  that  the  Atlantic 
will  be  finished  before  the  Central  can  be  got  under  way.  By  so 
doing  they  will  more  speedily  secure  the  operation  of  both  roads. 
The  parties  I  have  named  can  pay  a  subscription  of  $300,000  more 
easily  with  the  Central  Boad,  than  they  can  pay  $150,000  without 
it,  or  with  the  Atlantic  alone. 

One  great  line  of  road  is  now  nearly  finished  from  Beaufort  Har- 
bor to  the  interior  of  N.  C,  and  soon  the  people  on  that  line  will 
have  superior  commercial  facilities  to  all  the  rest  of  N.  C.  The 
question  is  not  with  them  to  ship  by  old  lines  of  communication,  but 
where  they  can  ship  the  cheapest  and  realize  the  most  on  what  they 
ship.  And  those  towns  and  sections  that  can,  and  do  not  provide 
themselves  with  equal  facilities,  will  be  astonished  in  a  few  years  at 
the  distance  they  will  be  left  behind  in  the  race  for  business. 

It  was  argued  against  the  Central  Boad,  by  the  friends  of  the  N. 
C.  Boad,  at  the  last  session  of  the  N.  C.  Legislature,  that  it  would 
not  only  give  equal  but  superior  facilities,  and  take  business  from 
that  road.  If  this  is  true,  those  who  were  its  friends  and  stock- 
holders being  the  judges,  with  what  force  ought  it  to  apply  to  the 
friends  of  the  Central  Boad.  And  with  what  grace  could  they  ask 
of  us  (the  Central)  to  pay  our  quota  of  $4,000,000  to  the  N.  C.  and 
Atlantic  Boads,  and  then  be  told  that  the  Central  must  be  kept 
down  for  fear  it  would  take  a  little  trade  from  the  N.  C.  and  Wil- 
mington, and  a  great  deal  from  Norfolk  and  Petersburg. 

We  do  not  wish  to  be  understood  as  opposed  to  any  thing  that  the 
last  N.  C.  Legislature  did  for  works  of  improvement  in  N.  C.  We 
are  in  favor  of  State  aid  to  State  works  in  N.  C,  because  many 
needful  works  cannot  be  done  without  State  aid.  We  think  the 
connecting  of  Beaufort  Harbor  by  Bail  Boad  with  the  interior,  is 
the  best  thing  the  State  has  done  in  a  century,  and  we  think  State 
aid  to  the  Central  Boad  at  the  last  session,  so  as  to  connect  the  Coal 
Fields  with  Beaufort  by  Fayetteville,  would  have  been  the  very  best. 
We  are  opposed  to  all  such  works  as  the  great  lumber  bridge  canal 
by  the  State,  going  from  Pamlico  to  Norfolk,  Va. 

We  have  been  asked  to  wait,  even  by  the  friends  of  the  Central 
road  and  try  again  at  the  next  session  for  State  aid;  but  a  majority 
of  the  friends  of  the  road  have  determined  to  act  now.  We  think 
wisely. 

The  State  rarely  takes  the  lead  as  stockholder  in  a  rail  road. 
There  is  no  instance  of  its  having  done  so,  except  upon  the  condition 
that  individuals  would  take  an  interest  first.  But  the  State  has  not 
failed  to  assist  every  work  commenced  by  individuals,  when  asked 
to  do  so  and  when  State  aid  was  needed.  And  the  State,  to  her 
honor  be  it  said,  has  allowed  no  work  to  go  down.  If  we  are  true 
to  ourselves  then,  the  State  will  help  us,  if  needed.  Our  chances  for 
State  aid  will  be  one  hundred  times  better  with  our  road  commenced 
than  if  we  do  nothing.  Let  us  secure  the  Charter,  organize  the 
company,  and  go  to  work,  and  then  call  upon  Hercules,  if  needed, 
for  help;  and  we  may  with  more  reason  expect  him  to  come.     Be- 


37 

sides,  we  may  expect  the   same  opposition  that  has  been  against  us 
heretofore,  and  we  are  for  building  the  road  anyhow. 

With  the  Atlantic  road  and  the  Central  terminating  at  the  best 
shipping  point  on  Beaufort  Harbor,  (Carolina  City,)  we  shall  soon 
dissipate  the  disinterested  fears  of  those  who  have  said  in  derision, 
"Where  is  your  market,  and  your  solid  business  men,  and  you  citi- 
zens of  N.  C.  will  you  not  prefer  to  come  to  a  city  built  of  bricks 
and  mortar  to  one  on  paper."  Does  not  a  subscription  of  $150,000 
to  the  Atlantic  R.  R.  point  to  something  more  than  a  city  on  paper. 
Does  not  a  line  of  R.  R.  312  miles  long,  from  Carolina  City  to  the 
interior  of  N.  C,  point  to  what  city  a  great  public  is  directed,  and 
determined  to  go? 

When  the  Central  R.  R.  is  finished  with  the  connections  now 
building  west,  and  the  Atlantic  in  connection  with  the  N.  C  and 
the  Western  extension  at  Salisbury,  the  North  Carolina  being  al- 
ready finished,  and  the  Atlantic  will  probably  be  by  Jan'y  1857. 
The  western  extension  is  under  way.  No  other  roads  in  the  State 
can  be  devised  to  be  of  such  great  public  utility,  to  accommodate  so 
large  a  part  of  the  State,  or  to  carry  tuch  an  amount  of  produce  to 
Beaufort  Harbor.  Two-thirds  of  the  State  will  be  in  convenient  reach 
of  them. 

Core,  Albemarle  and  Pamlico  Sounds  with  their  tributaries,  the 
Chowan,  the  Roanoke,  the  Tar,  the  Neuse  and  Trent  Rivers,  and 
many  estuaries,  form  an  aggregate  water  communication  of  many 
hundreds  of  miles,  all  connected  with  Beaufort  Harbor,  and  navi- 
gable for  good  sized  vessels.  We  can  safely  say  then,  that  by  rail 
roads,  by  water,  inland,  and  by  sea,  no  other  place  in  North  Caro- 
lina will  have  such  commercial  facilities  as  Carolina  City. 

To  those  who  are  opposed  to  State  aid,  and  indeed  to  all  aid  to 
make  themselves  and  their  country  better,  we  commend  the  follow- 
ing beautiful  article  from  Macauley's  History  of  England,  and  con- 
clude that  we  can  give  no  better  answer  to  them. 

Soon,  however,  the  wars  which  sprang  from  the  French  Revolu- 
tion, and  which  far  exceeded  in  cost  any  that  the  world  has  ever 
seen,  tasked  the  powers  of  public  credit  to  the  utmost.  When  the 
world  was  again  at  rest  the  funded  debt  of  England  amounted  to 
eight  hundred  millions.  If  the  most  enlightened  man  had  been  told,, 
in  1792,  that  in  1815,  the  interest  of  eight  hundred  millions  would 
be  duly  paid  to  the  day  at  the  Bank,  he  would  have  been  as  hard  of 
belief  as  if  he  had  been  told  that  the  government  would  be  in  pos- 
session of  the  lamp  of  Aladdin  or  of  the  purse  of  Fortunatus.  It 
was  in  truth  a  gigantic,  a  fabulous  debt;  aDd  we  can  hardly  wonder 
that  the  cry  of  despair  should  have  been  louder  than  ever.  But 
again  that  cry  was  found  to  have  been  as  unreasonable  as  ever. 
After  a  few  years  of  exhaustion,  England  recovered  herself.  Yet, 
like  Addison's  valetudinarian,  who  continued  to  whimper  that  he 
was  dying  of  consumption  till  he  became  so  fat  that  he  was  shamed 
into  silence,  she  went  on  complaining   that  she  was  sunk  in  poverty 


Microfilmed' 
SOLINET/ASERL  PROJECT 


38 

till  her  wealth  showed  itself  by  tokens  which  made  her  complaints 
ridiculous. 

The  beggared,  the  bankrupt  society  not  only  proved  able  to  meet 
all  its  obligations,  but  while  meeting  those  obligations,  grew  richer 
so  fast  that  the  growth  could  almost  be  discerned  by  the  eye.  In 
every  county,  we  saw  wastes  recently  turned  into  gardens:  in  every  city, 
we  saw  new  streets,  and  squares,  and  markets,  more  brilliant  lamps, 
more  abundant  supplies  of  water:  in  the  suburbs  of  every  great  seat 
of  industry,  we  saw  villas  multiplying  fast,  each  embosomed  in  its 
gay  little  paradise  of  lilacs  and  roses.  While  shallow  politicians 
were  repeating  that  the  energies  of  the  people  were  borne  down  by 
the  weight  of  the  public  burdens,  the  first  journey  was  performed  by 
steam  on  a  railway.  Soon  the  island  was  mteresected  by  railways. 
A  sum  exceeding  the  whole  amount  of  the  national  debt  at  the  end 
of  the  American  war  was,  in  a  few  years,  voluntarily  expended  by 
this  ruined  people  in  viaducts,  tunnels,  embankments,  bridges, 
stations,  engines.  Meanwhile  taxation  was  almost  constantly  be- 
coming lighter  and  lighter:  yet  still  the  Exchequer  was  full.  It  may 
be  now  affirmed  without  fear  of  contradiction  that  we  find  it  as  easy 
to  pay  the  interest  of  eight  hundred  millions  as  our  ancestors  found 
it,  a  century  ago,  to  pay  the  interest  of  eighty  millions. 

Those  of  the  people  and  States  of  our  Union,  who  have  followed 
England's  example,  have  realized  the  truth  of  all  that  Macauley 
says,  by  the  construction  of  railways.  And  North  Carolina  and  her 
people  by  laying  out  money  in  the  same  way  will  grow  richer,  and 
will  be  the  better  in  all  respects  for  such  examples. 

Build  the  Central  K.  R.  and  other  roads  also,  until  the  people  of 
all  sections  of  N.  C.  shall  be  in  connection  with  Beaufort  Harbor, 
and  let  no  section  hereafter  say,  of  necessity,  that  we  belong  either 
to  Virginia  or  South  Carolina.  Give  all  equal  facilities  for  shipping, 
at  a  N.  C.  port,  and  of  exchanging  their  productions  there.  Our 
ships  can  then  go  out  in  successful  competition  with  any  State  or 
Nation,  for  the  treasures  of  the  sea,  and  the  isles  thereof.  Our 
commerce,  manufactures,  agriculture,  and  arts,  will  flourish,  and 
prosperity  will  be  echoed  through  North  Carolina. 
Your  humble  friend  and  servant, 

ALPHA. 


